


There Bee Dragons

by Blake_Belladonna_Defence_Force



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, does that make them your wingman?, dragon rider au, if a dragon gets you a gf..., the narrator has no idea what the fuck she’s doing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:55:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 27,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24531895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blake_Belladonna_Defence_Force/pseuds/Blake_Belladonna_Defence_Force
Summary: Princess Blake of Menagerie refuses to let her kingdom fight without her. The only problem is... she can’t fight without a dragon.She needs to get to the Hatchery. But first, she needs a guide.Let us see who that guide will be...
Relationships: Bumbleby - Relationship
Comments: 392
Kudos: 652





	1. Taking Flight.

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t think I’m going to be doing my monthly aus for a while. But I will be uploading fics that make feel excited about writing, such as this one.
> 
> Honestly... there’s an ace joke to be made here about me finally writing a dragon au 😂

“Blake… you can’t be serious!”

“I _am_ serious, Ilia. I’m not going to stand by and let other people fight for me. This is going to be _my_ kingdom one day and I’ll lead it _my_ way.”

Blake walked out of her closet, now dressed in trousers and a dark purple hooded, sleeveless tunic rather than the standard royal robes that were befitting of a princess. She tucked her long, black hair under her hood, hiding the two black feline ears atop her head and casting her face in shadows. She glanced up at her childhood friend and smiled softly at her as she took her hands. 

“I know that you’re worried. But I can’t stand by as my father’s armies fight Mistral. I need to stand alongside them.”

“On what dragon?” Ilia snorted indignantly as she gave Blake a hard look. 

Blake rolled her eyes and sighed. For years, armies had been fighting using not horses as their noble steeds but rather, dragons. Her own father, the King of Menagerie, rode a beautiful black dragon that many had referred to as Death itself, though Blake had come to know the gentle giant as Ashy as she was growing up. The beast had been a part of Blake’s life since she was born, even helping her learn to walk. Many people of their world grew up in such a way, in fact. 

When an individual hoping to become a soldier became of age, they would be taken to a place called the Hatchery. This was where a hatchling would choose their rider, forging a bond unlike any other. They would grow and train together, becoming one on the battlefield and fighting alongside other riders and their dragons in the war against Mistral. Ever since she was young, Blake had dreamed of the day that her parents would allow her to travel to the Hatchery… but alas, they had forbidden it. They were convinced that the battlefield was no place for a princess. Blake had spent years trying to convince them and with every year, she knew that it became less likely that a hatchling would choose her.

Which is exactly why she was leaving.

“On the dragon that chooses me as their rider.” Blake said firmly as she pulled away from Ilia and slung a leather satchel over her shoulder. “I’m going to the Hatchery and I am _not_ coming back until I have my dragon.”

“You’re insane.” Ilia groaned as she flopped into Blake’s bed. “You are actually insane. You know that, right?”

“Oh, come on. I don’t remember you complaining about our adventures when we were kids.” Blake laughed as sat on her windowsill and looked down with a smirk. 

“Those adventures didn’t result in my best friend having the flesh melted from her body, Blake.”

“Stop being so dramatic and pass me that rope?” Blake asked sweetly, smiling innocently as Ilia snorted and did as asked. Blake gave the rope a sharp tug to confirm that it still tied to her bed firmly, just as she had left it and began to climb out of her window with a final glance at her best friend. “Take care, Ilia. And cover for me.”

“If your mother kills me with a tea tray, I’m haunting you first!”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Blake chuckled as she began to climb down her rope, biting her cheek and concentrating on the climb down. She landed with a small grunt and quickly ran across the courtyard, sticking to the shadows and dodging guards carefully. She smirked softly to herself as she hid in a large bush. One would think that they would have gotten used to Blake’s tendency to sneak out and cause trouble… and yet, here she was, sneaking out of her room and exiting the castle grounds without a single problem to slow her down.

“Hey!”

‘Now that’s what I call foreshadowing.’ Blake thought dryly to herself as she pulled her hood further over her face and began running for the gates, ignoring the shouts from the guards. She let out a small growl and slid to the ground and under a large soldier as he grabbed at her and jumped to her feet, sending a sharp kick to his arse, making the man crash to the ground with a loud yell. She snorted and kept running. She could see that the gates were closing and so, Blake put on a final burst of speed and ducked through the closing gates just as they closed, a victorious grin spreading across her face as it slammed shut. She glanced up at the sentry atop the wall and, because she was feeling rather smug, she sent them a quick two fingered salute before turning on her heel and making a run for it. She had to put as much distance between herself and the soldiers as she could. 

Blake knew that sitting daintily in a castle wasn’t who she was. She was a born fighter, refusing to let others fight on her behalf. She wasn’t going to sit pretty while the soldiers of her kingdom fought and died for her family. She would go to the Hatchery. She would get her dragon. And she would fight alongside the Riders as they clashed with Mantle’s forces. She just had to find her way to the Hatchery first. 

That meant that she was going to need a guide. Fortunately, she knew exactly where to go to get one.


	2. Making New Friends.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake makes it to a tavern in hopes of hiring a guide.

It was mid-evening by the time Blake arrived at the tavern, her hood pulled up to cover her ears. Outside, various different species of dragon sat waiting for their riders to emerge. Blake smiled as she observed the beasts she passed, wondering what species her dragon would belong to. As she approached the steps, a low chuffing noise met her ears and she turned to face a tall and slender Standard class of dragon. They had six limbs, including the large wings extending from their shoulders. Their tail was long and broad, with small spines running up its back. The muzzle was slender, leading up to a head with two long, thin horns. The beast was of a unique colouration, red and white patterns dancing along their scales. As they turned their great, spiked head, which was the size of Blake’s torso, she saw that their eyes, shining with a bright intelligence that dragons were known for, were a beautiful silver colour. 

“Well, hello there. Is your rider inside?” Blake asked softly, smiling when the beast chuffed at her again. It was a pleasant sounding noise, a sound that dragons made when they were content or feeling affectionate. Typically, it was a noise reserved for their riders and those close to their riders so when a dragon chuffed at you, it was considered high praise. “You’re a pretty one, aren’t you?”

The dragon almost seemed to preen, shaking their head and snorting as they unfurled their wings and sat tall and proud. 

“Róisín. Stop showing off, you useless reptile.”

Blake turned and felt her breathing catch in her throat as a woman dressed in flight gear walked down the steps with a smirk and, passing by her with a wink, approached the dragon and curled a hand around their muzzle as they leaned down to greet her. The woman was beautiful with long, blond hair pulled back into a low ponytail. She was strong looking, with broad shoulders and strong arms. Her smile was warm and kind… but her eyes didn’t match her dragon. Usually, after a pair had bonded, the dragon’s baby blue eyes would shift to match their rider’s.

“You know,” the woman said as she glanced over at Blake and chuckled softly, sending a shiver down Blake’s spine. “Róisín doesn’t usually like people. She’s been a bit ornery since she lost her rider.”

Blake tilted her head curiously. That explained the eyes. But it was clear that there was still a strong bond between the two. Blake couldn't help but wonder what the connection between the two was.

“She’s lovely.” Blake said, tucking her hands behind her back and offering the woman a small smile. 

“You hear that, Róisín? You’re lovely.” The woman grinned up at her dragon, who stood and fluttered her wings proudly, lifting her head up high and chugging at Blake. The woman laughed and Blake felt her heart stop. A warmth began to creep up her neck and she found herself quickly wanting to know more about this woman. “You flirt. Stop showing off to the pretty lady, already.” She turned to Blake with a thoughtful glance before her lips twisted into a small and challenging smirk. “You wanna pet her? You can… I mean, if you’re not  _ scared, _ that is.”

“I’m not scared of dragons.” Blake scoffed, shifting her weight to one foot and placing a hand on her hip as she glared at the woman. “I’ve grown up surrounded by them. It’s the rider that you need to be wary of. They’re the ones that shape their dragons, after all. The question is… what kind of a rider are you, stranger?”

“One way to find out, right?”

Blake narrowed her amber gaze at the woman as she thumped the dragon’s shoulder affectionately. She was challenging Blake, that much was obvious. Blake had never been one to back down, though, so she calmly stepped forward with her head lowered in respect to the large beast. When she was a few feet away, she knelt before the dragon, showing her that she was no threat. She felt a gush of warm breath hit her back as the dragon scented her. When the dragon chuffed once more, Blake looked up and scrunched up her nose as the dragon huffed into her face. Blake looked into the dragon’s eyes and quirked a brow before blowing air against her muzzle, making her pull back with a snort as she shook her head. The beast looked at the woman then back at Blake before making a high pitched chirp and gently placing her chin on top of Blake’s head before she pulled back and laid back down where she had been previously resting.

“Woah.” The woman’s jaw was hanging open as she stared at Blake. “That… huh. Usually, she’s not one for making friends.” She tilted her head at Blake, curiously watching her. “You know… they say that dragons can see our souls. She must like your-gah!”

Blake watched, wide eyed as Róisín turned her head to the woman and pushed her towards Blake with a none too gentle bump of her muzzle. Blake, not expecting the sudden weight, fell onto her back, with the woman landing on top of her, her arms now resting in either side of Blake’s head. Blake felt herself freeze as she stared up at the woman, her lilac eyes looking back at Blake with unexpected gentleness. 

“I’m Yang.”

“Blake.”

There was a long pause where they simply stared at each other… until Róisín let out a low chortling noise deep in her throat. Yang jumped up quickly, her face flushed as she turned angrily to the amused sounding dragon, leaving Blake to clamber to her feet, wondering what the hell just happened.

“Róisín!” Yang yelled as she pointed at the dragon’s red and white snout. “What the hell was that about?!”

Róisín seemed to give Yang an unimpressed stare before turning to look at Blake.  _ See what I have to deal with here? _ Her expression almost seemed to say.  _ She’s impossible. _

“I love you to death but sometimes… I swear-“ Yang muttered under her breath as Róisín snorted and pushed her muzzle against her chest affectionately, chuffing quietly and soothingly. 

Blake smiled softly at the display. She had always been endeared to the bond shared by a rider and their dragon and this one was no exception. She watched as Yang rested her forehead against the dragon’s snout, her hands gently scratching at the scales as the dragon continued to chuff quietly. 

“You useless reptile.” Yang murmured warmly as she stepped back and glanced back at Blake with a small, embarrassed smile, her cheeks flushing. “Sorry about that. She’s usually much better behaved. She’s just being a brat.” Yang said, rolling her eyes when Róisín flopped to the ground with a whine. “What? It’s true.”

“Oh, it’s fine.” Blake chuckled softly, rather enjoying her present company. 

“Good. Good.” Yang clapped her hands awkwardly and gave Blake a small grin. “So… What brings you out here?”

“Business. I came here looking for a guide.”

“You’re in luck. I just so happen to be one of the best. Where are you headed?”

“I need to go to the Hatchery.”

There was a long pause before Yang seemed to finally process Blake’s words.

_ “You fucking what?!” _


	3. Coming To An Agreement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake has a discussion with Yang regarding her quest.

“Let me get this straight: you want somebody to take you to the Hatchery, an island known for individuals being mauled by unbonded dragons, just so that you can fight in the war against Mistral? Beside your parents won’t let you be a soldier?!”

“That about sums it up, yeah.” Blake answered simply, raising her ale to her lips and wincing as she took a sip.  _ ‘Is this what piss tastes like? Because it’s fucking disgusting.’ _ She quirked a brow at her companion across the table, who was currently staring at her like she had grown two more heads. “What?”

“That island is dangerous. Do you have any idea how deadly an unbonded dragon is?” Yang said slowly, leaning forward on the table and giving Blake a sharp look. “There’s a reason why we don’t force the bond between dragon and rider; taking ownership over a dragon that you’re not bonded to will only corrupt you both.”

“Good thing that I don’t plan on doing that, then.”

“That’s not what I-“ Yang cut herself off with a sharp inhale as she rubbed her face irritably. “What I mean is that that island is full of dragons that have no rider. Dragons that are wild and feral. Dragons that will rip you limb from limb the moment that they set their gaze upon you.” Yang sighed and gave Blake a hard look. “The last thing you see are the blue eyes of an unbonded beast before it kills you. There’s a reason why soldiers that come of age are escorted by an experienced vanguard, Blake.”

“I understand where you’re coming from. Really, I do. But I need to do this.” Blake said with a heavy sigh. She shook her head, careful not to displace her hood and gave Yang a small smile. “But it’s clear that I’m wasting both of our time. I’ll find someone else. Have a good evening, Yang.”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Yang said through a pained groan as she stood and caught Blake’s wrist gently and turned her around to face her. Yang pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed heavily. “You won’t find anyone crazy enough to take you and I get the awful feeling that if nobody will take you by dragon, then you’ll probably steal a boat or something to get there.”

“What can I say? I’m a stubborn one.”

“Evidently.” Yang said dryly as she gave Blake a deadpan look. “And apparently… I’m crazy.”

“Wait…” Blake said slowly, a small smile twitching onto her face. “Does that mean-“

“Yes, I’ll take you. But only because I don’t want to see you get hurt.” Yang made a face, her nose scrunching up up in distaste. “If I let you go off and get killed, Róisín might actually step on me.”

“How sweet of you.” Blake snorted before giving Yang a grateful smile. “Thank you. I promise that I’ll make it worth your while. In fact-“ Blake threw a small bag of gold at Yang and smirked at her shocked expression. “There’s half up front. You’ll get the rest when I get my dragon.”

“I- Uh- where did-“

“Never you mind, Yang. Now… when can we leave?”

“Hold your dragons.” Yang laughed, shaking her head as she gave Blake a small, half smirk. “I appreciate the enthusiasm but it’s going to take two weeks worth of travel to get there. We need to collect supplies and equipment, get you a weapon because I am  _ not  _ letting you near that island without one and Róisín is in need of rest for the journey.”

“Of course. What can I do to help?”

“Sit with me and we’ll start mapping out our travel.” Yang sat down with a thump and let out a small, self-depreciating laugh. “I’m taking a stranger to the Hatchery. I must be mad.”

“Sanity is overrated, anyway.” Blake laughed softly as she sat down and smiled at Yang. She rested her chin on the back of her hand as she leaned on the table and watched Yang curiously. “Where’s the fun in sticking to the status quo?”

“You know what?” Yang laughed, raising her stein in a toast. “I’ll drink to that.”

Blake gave Yang a small grin and tapped their steins together before taking a swig. 

“Ugh! God. Remind me to never order ale again.” Blake groaned, biting back a smile as Yang let out a snorting laugh. 

She was beginning to think that she could get used to that.

* * *

“Róisín. C’mon, you great lug. We need to get you measured for a new saddle because  _ somebody _ destroyed it when she tried to fight a Hydra.”

“She what?”

“A Hydra. We were lucky to get out unscathed.”

Blake turned to look at a rather indignant looking dragon. Hydra’s were a mean business. It usually took several riders and their dragons to take down a single Hydra. Blake wasn’t surprised that Yang and Róisín had struggled.

“Róisín.” Blake cooed softly, earning the dragon’s attention. The beast chuffed and bent to nudge Blake’s torso with her nose, letting out a small, sad sounding whine as she did. “Are you making things difficult for your rider? Huh?” She teased softly as Róisín snorted. She gave the dragon a scratch under the chin. “Come on. You guys are meant to be a team.”

Blake glanced over to Yang as she patted Róisín’s nose and felt her neck grow warm as Yang watched her with a small smile. “Uh… what?”

“Nothing. Just… Róisín hasn’t made a friend outside my family in years. It’s nice to see her playing with you.” Yang’s smile shifted, her eyes becoming clouded with pain before she shook her head and sighed. “But no matter. We’ve got some prep work to do. Come on, Róisín. Let’s show Blake to the smithy.”

Blake followed after the pair quietly, a small frown forming across her lips. The only reason a dragon ever lived without its rider was if said rider had died. That said, it was very rare for a dragon to continue living for long after their rider died. Most perished shortly after their rider passed. Many believed that this was so that the dragon could perform one final task for their rider and carry them to the afterlife. But sometimes, if the dragon bonded to another member of the family or felt like they hadn’t fulfilled their duty to their rider, they may continue to live. 

Róisín wasn’t Yang’s bonded dragon. Something must have happened to her original rider, something that led to Yang taking over as Róisín’s rider. Despite that, she could see that there was still a strong bond between the two. Róisín may not have chosen Yang. But it was clear that the two were fond of each other. That something connected them. Blake just didn’t know what that something was.

And she couldn’t help but want to know more about them both.


	4. Come Fly Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bees and the dragon finally take flight.

Blake watched as Yang helped the smithy place Róisín’s new saddle just behind her head, positioned so that Yang would be able to see between her horns and over her head so as to guide the beast. It had taken several days for the saddle to be made and Blake couldn’t deny that she had been starting to get anxious as her parents' guards had trudged through the town searching for her. But now… they could finally be on their way.

“Alright. Looking snazzy, girl.” Yang grinned up at her dragon as 

Róisín shook her great head and almost seemed to preen happily at the attention. She turned her head towards Blake and Blake quirked a brow as a playful chirp left Róisín’s throat. “Oh no… no, no, no… Róisín! I know that look! Don’t you dare-“ 

Yang’s yell was cut off by Róisín gently latching her teeth into the back of her tunic and throwing her up into the air and onto the saddle, earning a scream from Yang as she sailed through the air. Blake honestly couldn’t tell if it was from outrage or momentary fear. Blake watched curiously, and with some amusement and alarm, as Róisín unfurled her wings and took off, all while Yang let out a series of impressive expletives.

“Showoff.” Blake chuckled to herself as the pair flew through the air, twisting and turning as they went. After a moment, Blake saw their silhouette start to get bigger as they turned towards her for a landing. She glanced up at Yang and smirked at the fond, exasperated expression on her face. “So… have fun?”

“Sorry about that. Róisín must be trying to impress you.”

Róisín let out an indignant garble and shook her head, huffing and pouting. Blake bit back a smile. Róisín seemed closer to an overgrown puppy with scales at times than a creature that could level an entire village.

“Oi!” Yang yelled, as she clambered down the dragon’s body and looked up at her. “I swear, you’re the worst.” 

Blake giggled when Róisín let out the most pathetic whine that she had ever heard from a dragon and pressed her nose into Yang’s torso, her silver eyes staring up at Yang beseechingly. Yang flared back at her for a few seconds before letting out a long suffering groan and gripping the dragon’s muzzle in her hands and giving her a playful shake.

“You are such a brat.” She growled affectionately. Yang pressed her forehead to Róisín’s nose and huffed at her, a small, fond smile spreading across her lips and giving away just how amused she was by her dragon’s antics. “Yeah, yeah. I love you too.” She chuckled softly as Róisín chuffed at her. 

Blake smiled softly. It was truly an endearing sight. She had known of several riders that treated their dragons as mere weapons of war and she hated seeing the damage it did to their bond. It was almost beautiful to see the bond between Yang and Róisín be so strong despite them not being a true bonded pair.

“Blake? You ready to pack up and head off?”

Blake gave Yang a firm nod. She was more than ready to begin the journey to meet her dragon.

* * *

“Up you come.” Yang grunted as she caught Blake’s hand firmly and hoisted her up behind her on the saddle. 

Blake settled behind her and blinked as she looked at Yang’s back. Her earlier assessment that Yang was strong looking had, apparently, been an understatement. As her hands naturally came to rest against Yang’s back to steady herself, she couldn’t help but silently admire the powerful muscles beneath her hands.

“You okay back there?”

“Uh- Yeah. Yeah, I’m good.” Blake coughed, an embarrassed heat beginning to creep up her neck as she shook herself out of it. “Where should I…?”

“Here’s the safest option. You get something to hold onto and I know that my passenger is safe.” Yang said calmly as she reached back and took Blake’s hand and curled her arms around her waist. She turned to smirk back at Blake and threw her a playful wink. “Just lean with me and Róisín and I will do the rest. You just try not to fall off.”

“I- yeah. Okay. Sure.” Blake stuttered, swallowing thickly as she rested her hands against Yang’s stomach.  _ ‘Abs. Why did she have to have  _ **_abs_ ** _?!’ _

“Ever flown before?”

“Nope. But I’m a quick study.”

“I bet you are.” Yang laughed, her body shaking against Blake’s. “Don’t worry. Once we get your dragon, I’ll help teach you. But for now… remember what I said and you’ll be fine.”

Blake nodded against Yang’s shoulder and inhaled deeply as Róisín braced her legs for take off. A moment later, Blake was letting out a surprised yell and burying her face in a broad shoulder as the dragon took flight. She tightened her hold on Yang’s waist and chose to ignore the laugh that she felt against her arms as they climbed higher into the sky. As they leveled out, she hesitantly opened her eyes and pulled back from Yang slightly and gasped. She knew that the world would be different from way up high… but she hadn’t been expecting how beautiful it was. 

“Wow.” She laughed breathlessly as she turned her head, trying to take it all in. She could feel her ears flick under her hood and she knew that an excited grin was crossing her face as she watched the town pass by underneath them. “This is- oh my  _ God!” _

“You never forget your first flight.” Yang called back to her, as she guided Róisín into a gentle glide, the dragon’s wings easily cutting through the air. “I was a little girl when my mother took me for a ride on her dragon. It was the coolest thing!” She turned her head to grin at Blake, a playful light entering her lilac eyes and Blake found her grin softening into a softer smile. “Just you wait, though. Once you get to be the one up front? Working in tandem with a dragon as partners in flight? There’s nothing like it.”

“I look forward to it.”

Blake removed one hand from Yang’s waist and reached out to let it trail through the clouds that they passed, an excited smile on her face. She couldn't remember ever feeling this free. And she knew, more now than ever before, that the skies was where she truly belonged belonged.

  
  



	5. Fighting The Pull

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake deals with some... rather strange issues regarding her guide.

“Róisín… if you would be so kind?”

Blake quirked a brow when the campfire remained unlit and rested her chin on her knee, smirking up at Yang, who stood with one hand on her hip and the other gesticulating towards the campfire confidently. Yang grinned a little too widely and glared at Róisín pointedly.

“Róisín? A little help here?” Yang said through gritted teeth as the large dragon blinked open one silver eye lazily from where she lay flopped across the group in their small clearing, appearing highly uninterested in what her rider wanted her to do. “C’mon! Make with the fire breath!”

Róisín closed her eyes and Blake swore that the dragon was smirking slyly… or as best as she could, at any rate.

“Very impressive.” Blake drawled sarcastically, chuckling slightly. “Oh, how I fear this mighty beast and her handsome rider. Oh, I do believe that I’m about to swoon.”

“Ugh!” Yang growled irritably, throwing her hands up as she glanced between Blake and Róisín in disbelief. “You’re both impossible!”

Blake hid a giggle behind her hand as Yang fought to keep a smile at bay. They had flown for hours before they needed to rest, with Yang now eager to show Blake other aspects of dragon riding. Naturally, Róisín decided to make things as difficult as possible for her rider.

“Thanks for nothing, you useless rept-Eep!” Yang cut herself off with an indignant squeal as a small fire ball flew past her, just barely missing her, and setting their campfire a blaze. She narrowed her eyes and marched up to her dragon and glared down at her, going so far as to waggle a finger at her like she was scolding a child. “Listen, you! Stop showing off for Blake! I swear she’s better behaved than this.” The last part was uttered almost sheepishly to Blake, who rolled her eyes and moved closer to the fire, warming her cold hands with a content sigh.

“And why would she be showing off for me?” Blake chuckled softly, tilting her head and smiling up at Yang, who froze and stared at her, an almost admiring expression crossing her features. “She doesn’t even know me.”

“I mean… why wouldn’t she? Dragons are known to be drawn to treasure, after all.” The words were coy and flirty in nature, but Yang’s tone was far too soft to be anything of the sort. Her gaze was too gentle, her smile too warm and her expression too open to be anything so shallow. 

“Uh-“ Blake blinked and ducked her head, biting her lip as her hood fell forward and hid her warm cheeks while she struggled to come up with an answer. “I wasn’t aware that you shared your gold with Róisín.”

“I wasn’t talking about your payment.”

Blake felt something strike against her chest, something that demanded to be heard. Something that ached and yearned and burned. It stole her breath and left a lump in her throat that she couldn’t quite swallow. It was new and alarming, something that felt older than her 20 years. Did it exist before she was ever born in this life? Had it been laying dormant, waiting for a beautiful voice to awaken it from its slumber? A voice that felt familiar in a way that she couldn’t explain?

“Um,” Blake said shakily, as she pulled herself from her reverie, her thoughts shattering around her heart and digging into it, refusing to leave. She inhaled deeply, as though just remembering that her lungs required oxygen to live. “I- Uh, I’m just- I’m going to go and- and collect some more firewood.” She stuttered, quickly standing and walking into the tree line, her sensitive faunus eyesight guiding her way as she ignored Yang’s call and Róisín’s worried croon.

She walked until she was out of Yang’s vision and hearing range and slumped back to lean against a tree, her hands coming up to press into her face as she groaned, loud and pained. The pull had been so sudden and alarming that she needed a second to herself. To breath and think and focus. To remind herself that she had never met Yang before. She didn’t know her or her voice, no matter how her chest ached. 

“God.” Blake breathed out shakily as she scrubbed at her burning cheeks with her hands, her nose scrunching up in irritation. “You barely know her. You don’t know her voice. You don’t know her heart or soul. Pull yourself together, Blake.”

She huffed quietly and began to pick up branches for firewood, determined to cast away any thoughts of  _ knowing  _ Yang.

And yet, as she glanced back over her shoulder, where the warm glow of the fire showed the rider and dragon silhouetted against the flames, Blake couldn’t deny the painful tug that her heart gave.

* * *

When Blake approached their campsite, she gave Yang a small, almost shy smile and placed her branches well away from the fire. She could feel her neck prickling as she felt a gaze locked into her back, making the fur on her ears puff up beneath her hood. An almost scolding grumble came from Róisín and, when Blake glanced over, she had to bite back a smile when the dragon bit the back of Yang’s tunic and lifted her to her feet and bumped her forward with her nose. It was… oddly maternal. 

“Alright, alright. I’m going. Geez.” Yang muttered, Blake’s sensitive hearing catching her words despite how low she spoke. “Hey, uh… Blake?”

“Hm?”

“Are you okay?” Yang asked softly, kneeling by Blake’s side to help her arrange the pile of firewood. 

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” Blake said carefully as she continued her task, an embarrassed heat creeping up her neck.

“No reason. Just- just making sure.” Yang grinned at her, though it seemed more nervous than anything. 

Blake let out a small, noncommittal hum as they returned to the fire. At first, Yang tried to sit across from Blake but was soon foiled when Róisín snorted and picked her up and carried her over to Blake. Yang landed next to Blake’s right with a grunt as Róisín curled her body around them slightly, protecting them from the wind that blew at their backs. Blake tried not to laugh at the rather insulted look on Yang’s face as she crossed her arms and leaned back against the dragon’s side, her face twisting into a pout that was admittedly adorable.

“Is she your dragon or your mother?” Blake teased, faltering slightly when Yang’s expression shifted from irritation to melancholy. 

“Well, she was my mother’s dragon,” Yang shrugged nonchalantly as she gazed into the flames, her jaw clenching and unclenching as she fought against whatever emotions that she was feeling. “I guess she decided to stick around to look after me. That’s why she’s so maternal.”

“Oh…  _ oh.”  _ Blake breathed, guilt twisting her heart painfully. “I… am  _ so  _ sorry, Yang. I didn’t mean-“

“No, please don’t. It’s okay. Really.” Yang said with a small smile. She glanced at Blake and lightly bumped her shoulder, helping ease her somewhat. “You probably guessed that Róisín’s not my bonded dragon. She was my mum’s. Mum was a rider. The skies were her home more than the ground could ever be. But she always made time for us.” Yang’s voice hitched slightly and Blake felt her heart tug painfully along with it. “She was pretty amazing.”

“I’ll believe it. You and Róisín are both evidence of that fact.” Blake said quietly, smiling gently when Róisín rested her chin lightly on Yang’s lap and crooned sadly. “I’m sorry.” She whispered compassionately as she rested a hand on Róisín’s snout, her fingers lightly scratching at her scales as her silver eyes gazed at Blake despondently.

Yang gave Blake a small and grateful smile as they fell into silence. Blake considered Yang and Róisín quietly. It wasn’t fate that bound them together. No, it was their mutual grief for a woman that was so important to them. It was almost heartbreakingly beautiful that the dragon had chosen to stick around to protect her rider’s daughter. To continue on in this world despite her bonded person being gone, just so that she could be there for Yang.

Blake turned back to the fire and exhaled slowly, quietly. Despite having her answer, she still wanted to know more about Yang. 

She just hoped that she wasn’t playing with fire. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say that writing Róisín is so much fun? There’s something about writing cheeky animal companions that is just so enjoyable.
> 
> Which makes me curious... what are y’all thinking of Róisín so far?


	6. The Beginning Of The Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, waking up can be an awkward affair.

When Blake woke up the following morning, she noticed that she was usually warm. There was a gentle pressure over her waist and her forearms lay curled up against something soft. She smiled sleepily and wiggled closer, seeking out whatever it was that was making her feel so warm… until the source of said warmth hummed tiredly. 

Blake froze. 

As did the weight across her waist.

As she blinked open her amber eyes, she found herself staring into lilac. For just a moment, they both smiled in greeting at each other before closing their eyes.

Only to snap them open with simultaneous yells of alarm.

“Oh my God!” Blake squealed, embarrassment making her flush terribly.

“What the hell are you doing?!”

“What was I doing? What were  _ you  _ doing?!”

Blake and Yang pulled away from each other and jumped to their feet, cheeks flushed and eyes glaring at the other defiantly. Blake pulled at her hood, making sure that her ears were covered, and turned away with an indignant huff.

“I’ll start breakfast.” Yang said stiffly, awkwardly, as she turned away and collected what she needed for their morning meal.

Blake, meanwhile, sat back down and pointedly ignored Yang. She crossed her arms and leaned on her knees, her brow furrowed and a small, irritated frown crossing her lips. Róisín grumbled behind her, seemingly displeased with the early morning commotion. Not that Blake could blame the poor dragon. She couldn’t say that she was too happy to have been caught in such a…  _ vulnerable  _ position. Blake didn't cuddle up to strangers. She didn’t stutter around them. And she certainly didn’t feel a strange and longing pang in her chest when they spoke to her as Yang had the night previous. It was ridiculous. It was something from a fairytale. They hadn’t even been in each other’s company for long. It was  _ impossible  _ to feel this drawn to somebody so soon. And yet…

She found that her mind kept drifting back to the weight of Yang’s arm across her waist and the warmth of her skin beneath her fingers. She couldn’t steer clear of the way Yang’s mere presence had warmed her more than any fire ever had. 

_ ‘What the hell is happening to me?” _ Blake mentally groaned as she dropped her head to press her forehead against her knees. Her mind was racing nearly as fast as her heart and she could feel a warmth creeping up her neck as she recalled that painfully quiet moment when she first woke up and stared into Yang’s lilac gaze.  _ ‘What is  _ **_she_ ** _ doing to me?’ _

* * *

Hours later, Blake sat behind Yang in Róisín’s saddle, her arms wrapped around her companion’s waist. It had the unfortunate side affect of reminding Blake of their unexpected cuddle session.

She  _ really  _ didn’t like how tempting it was to burrow her nose into the crook of Yang’s neck. 

_ ‘Being pressed up against her certainly isn’t helping.’ _ Blake thought to herself, her cat ears pinning beneath her hood. Everything between the two had been… extremely awkward since they woke up. Conversation was stilted and tense. And that was when they  _ did  _ talk. 

Blake didn’t like it.

“Róisín.” Yang’s voice said in warning as they began to fly towards the ground. “Up.”

The dragon, however, ignored Yang and flew lower. Yang tried to pull her up but considering how big Róisín was, it was to no avail and soon enough, Róisín was shaking them from the saddle, causing them to land on the ground with a small thud before sheet out a scolding croon at them and took off. Blake could see her gliding high above them, seeming to be keeping watch.

“Thanks for nothing, you useless reptile.” Yang muttered, walking a short distance away from Blake and pinching the bridge of her nose with an exasperated sigh. “Great. This is just great. My dragon’s going full mum mode on me and now, I’m stuck down here with you.” Yang mumbled, clearing not intending for Blake to hear her. Unfortunately, Blake’s hidden cat ears picked up on her words and she immediately felt something sharp cut into her chest.

_She_ _really didn’t like that_.

“Okay. Okay.” Yang muttered before turning back to Blake and biting her lip. “I’m sorry. For freaking out this morning. I, uh, heh,” Yang said with a small and awkward laugh. “I don’t exactly… wake up cuddling girls that I’ve just met, y’know?”

“And you think I do?” Blake asked dryly, staring at Yang blankly.

“Um… okay, fair.”

There was a long and painfully awkward silence before Blake spoke up with a heavy sigh.

“I’m sorry for freaking out too.” 

“Okay… soooo… can we move on from this now?”

“Sure. If your dragon is done forcing us to apologise to each other.” Blake chuckled, feeling somewhat pleased with herself when Yang snorted a laugh and smiled. “Is she always like this?”

“You have no idea.” Yang groaned painfully. “Whatever. We’re stopping at the next village anyway.”

“Oh?” Blake asked, still feeling somewhat awkward. “We are?”

“Yeah. I need to check in with my sister. God knows that she’s kill me for passing by and not paying her a quick visit.” Yang huffed, rolling her eyes fondly before biting her lip and giving Blake a concerned look. “Are… you okay with that?”

“Of course.”

“Cool. Then we’re good?”

“We are.”

  
  


“Great!”

“Yep.”

The two women stood awkwardly and avoided eye contact. Blake could still feel the early morning embarrassment hovering over them and she couldn’t say that she liked it.

When Róisín landed back down beside them and allowed them to climb back into her saddle, Blake thought that it wasn’t a moment too soon.


	7. Meeting The Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake meets Yang’s younger sister and learns a new fact about Róisín.

“Yang!”

Blake blinked as they landed in front of a small house. They had been travelling for several days now and had slowly gotten over their awkward wake up cuddle session that had left them both feeling more than a little embarrassed. And now, upon arriving at the home of Yang’s sister, Blake had been surprised to hear a loud, high pitched voice call out excitedly as Yang jumped to the ground and braced herself as Róisín rested her great head on the ground and moved her paw so that Blake could step down easily. Blake patted her side gently and quietly thanked her just as the door to the house flew open and a woman appearing a couple of years younger than them ran out and jumped at Yang, who instantly wrapped her up in a big bear hug.

“Hey there, little sister!” Yang laughed as she swung the woman around in her arms. 

“Did you bring me anything? Didya miss me? Didya miss me?!”

“Nope. Why would I miss a brat?”

“Yaaaaang!”

Blake giggled behind her hand, hopelessly endeared by the display in front of her. Her giggles cut off, however, when the woman turned to her and she saw a pair of silver eyes look carefully over at her as a small, cheeky grin crept over the young woman’s face.

“Ooh! Who’s this? Your girlfriend?” The woman teased and suddenly, she was in front of Blake and taking her hands and practically vibrating with excitement as she looked up at Blake’s face. “Oh my gosh! You’re so pretty! No wonder Yang likes you! You’re exactly her type!”

“Ruby!” Yang yelled, her cheeks flushing as she walked over and pulled Ruby back by the collar of her red tunic. She quickly pulled her into a simple headlock as her voice dropped into a playful growl. “I  _ will _ make Róisín eat you, you punk.” She sighed heavily before turning to Blake with a small, embarrassed smile and laughed awkwardly. “Blake, meet my kid sister Ruby. Ruby, this is Blake. She’s hired me to be her guide.”

“Ooh!” Ruby grinned as she pulled away Yang and looked at Blake slyly. “Nice to meetcha! I’m training to be a smithy so if you need anything, let me know! I’m more than happy to help out my future sister-in-“

“Ruby!”

Blake blinked as the two sisters began running around the front yard of Ruby’s home. She rubbed at her warm cheeks, subconsciously trying to get rid of the blush that grew there as Yang shouted various death threats at Ruby, who merely cackled and grinned teasingly Blake’s way. 

“Oh boy.” Blake murmured to an unimpressed Róisín. “This is going to be fun, huh?”

Róisín grumbled indignantly and stood slowly, groaning as though the weight of the world rested on her scaled shoulders. She moved towards Ruby and Yang and, as the two women ran by her, used her front paws to pin them. As Ruby and Yang struggled beneath the great paws that gently kept them pinned, Róisín grumbled scoldingly at them, huffing and snorting as though she were lecturing them about behaving in front of a guest.

“Róisín! Ruby started it! She was teasing me about Blake!”

“No way! Yang put me in a headlock first!”

Róisín growled, her silver eyes narrowing at them both and both women clamped their mouths shut.

“I don’t think she cares.” Blake observed, amusement creeping into her voice. “But it does appear as though she’s finishing it.”

Blake giggled when Yang let out an indignant, wordless shout. 

This really was going to be fun, wasn’t it?

* * *

Blake stared at the small, cat sized dragon in front of her on the table. They were red with sharp, black accents and, unlike Róisín’s, their pupils were permanently a thin slit of black amongst silver. The creature had no wingers to speak of, with two small horns that curled downwards towards the floor and seemed very intent on staring Blake down.

“A Drake, huh?” Blake said thoughtfully as the small creature chirped. “You find these guys everywhere.”

“Yup.” Ruby chirped, and suddenly, Blake understood why the younger woman was bonded to one of the most playful species of dragon. “Our uncle Qrow found him injured a few years back and brought him back. So when Cresent and I made eye contact, his eyes turned silver and we realised that he was my dragon. Isn’t that right, bud?” Ruby turned to coo at the small beast, who let out a delighted, high pitched squeal and spun rapidly in place.

“Yeah, and he’s been lighting shit on fire ever since.” Yang piped up from beside Blake at the kitchen table, winking playfully at Blake. “Seriously. This lil guy can melt any metal within seconds.”

“Because that’s what makes him special.” Ruby said pointedly as she handed Blake and Yang a mug of tea each and sat down, grinning happily when her dragon climbed up to sit on her shoulders with a happy sounding purr. “Every dragon has a power connecting them to their rider. Crescent's is the ability to melt any metal he looks at with his awesome fire breath! Róisín can heal any wound with her tears-“

“Wait- she can?” Blake asked curiously, tiring to Yang who gave her a sad smile.

“Technically, yes. She can. But she hasn’t used it since she lost her rider.” Yang said quietly, raising he rmug to her lips and drinking. “We don’t know why but… she just refuses to use it.”

“Oh.” Blake said softly, hesitating for a moment before reaching for Yang’s shoulder squeezing it gently. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Ruby said with a shrug, reaching up to scratch Crescent's chin distractedly. “She’s a great dragon and Yang and her work well together.”

“Sometimes, I think she forgets that I’m her rider and not some helpless hatchling that she has to babysit.” Yang joked lightly, a lopsided grin forming on her face when Blake gave an amused snort. 

“Ooh! Blake!” Ruby grinned cheekily at her and Blake quirked a brow, her left ear twitching curiously under her tunic’s hood. “Did Yang tell you about her first flight as a rider yet?”

“No. Should she have?”

“Nope. Because she wants to look all cool and smooth in front of you and ignore the face that she ended up stuck in a tree for five hours because Róisín got annoyed with her.”

“No! Don’t tell her that story!”

“Uh, yes, tell her that story.”

Blake laughed as Yang face planted onto the table with a dull thud, a miserable groan falling from her lips as Blake turned to Ruby with a smirk. “So… Yang got stuck in a tree. Do tell, Ruby.”

As Ruby told the tale of Yang getting deposited in a tree by an irritated Róisín, Blake couldn’t help but notice that Yang was really cute when she was flustered, a pretty pink blush creeping across her freckled cheeks as Blake giggled at her misfortune.


	8. Let’s Get Down To Business...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake takes a step forward in learning how to fly...
> 
> Even if she is mildly distracted by her teacher.

* * *

* * *

“Sooo… what do ya think?”

Blake felt a slow smile spread across her lips as she looked over Ruby’s shoulder and quietly examined her plans. Ruby, sweet as she was, had offered to help Blake forge a blade. While Blake has been slightly hesitant at first, Yang had gently encouraged her to accept the help offered to her. And now, two days later, she was staring at the final sketch of her blade.

It was to be a small sword, made from Damascus steel, as Ruby had called it. From what Blake understood, it was hard and flexible, with a greater likelihood to maintain a keen edge. The hilt was to be of simple, black steel. 

Blake rather liked it.

“Ruby. This is… incredible.” Blake smiled down at the shorter woman. “Would you prefer payment up front or-“

“You’re my sister’s girlfriend. That means you get special treatment so no payment for you.”

“Wait- no- I’m not- she and I-“ Blake stuttered, an embarrassed warmth creeping up her neck as she reached up to her hood and rugged over her head more firmly with a frustrated groan.

“Is that the time? I need to get started on your blade, Blake! Catchya!” Ruby grinned mischievously as she snatched the journal from the table and ran out of the door, Crescent launching himself from his perch and onto Ruby’s shoulder with a loud purr.

“What was that about?”

“Nothing!” Blake yelped as she whirled around to face Yang as she entered the room, a confused expression crossing her face as she looked out in the direction that Ruby had run off too. “Your sister was merely being-“

“A little shit?” Yang suggested with a long suffering sigh as she leaned against the table and ran a hand over her face. Yeah. She does that. A lot.”

“I can tell.” Blake laughed nervously, reaching up to tuck an errant strand of hair behind her ear. “Um… she’s incredibly talented.”

“Yeah. I’m proud of the little ankle biter.” Yang smiled softly and Blake felt her heart melt ever so slightly at the utter pride on Yang’s face. It was endearing. “So… I’m assuming that you're happy with your design?”

“I am.”

“You know how to use it, right?”

“Please.” Blake scoffed, placing one hand on her hip and smirking at Yang as she shifted her weight to one foot. She examined the nails of her free hand nonchalantly and sighed loudly. “My parents had me taking swordplay lessons since I could walk. I know my way around a blade.”

“Then you won’t mind a sparring match when it’s done?” Yang asked with a smirk of her own as she crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly. “Just to help you get used to your new blade, of course.”

“Of course.” Blake chuckled. She felt a surge of excitement at the prospect of sparring with Yang. Something told her that it would be challenging, to say the least. “It would be an honour, Yang.”

“Great!” Yang grinned, her lilac eyes sparkling with excitement. “In the meantime, we need to get started on teaching you to be a dragon rider.”

“But I don’t have my dragon yet.”

“Nope.” Yang said, popping the “P” and standing up. “But we do have Róisín. You’re going to have to fly off of that island and for as good as you are at  _ interacting  _ with dragons, you need to know how to fly. It doesn’t matter how much they like you if you can’t fly.”

“Right. Of course.” Blake tilted her head at her companion curiously. “What do we need to do?”

“Meet me outside in twenty minutes. Time to teach you how to fly.”

* * *

“So… despite the different species of dragon, the way we ride and guide them is generally the same.” Yang said as she ran checks on Róisín’s saddle. Blake watched curiously, finding herself enthralled with Yang’s explanations. “We work with them and shift our weight into the direction that we want to go. It’s not so much controlling them as it is working as a team. You’re a unit. Your dragon has to trust you to guide them and you have to trust your dragon to keep you safe.”

“Partners in flight.”

“That’s right!” Yang beamed at her and Blake couldn't help but smile back. Yang’s enthusiasm was contagious. “So… up you get.”

“I’m sorry. What?” Surely Blake had misheard? Yang didn’t want her to fly  _ already, _ did she?

“Up you get. There’s only one way to learn to fly and that’s by getting up in the saddle.” Yang clarified, patting Róisín’s saddle as she did. “Don’t worry. I’ll be riding behind you the entire time. Just like you have with me.”

“I don’t know, Yang.” Blake said quietly, nervously, as she glanced worriedly at Róisín. “This seems like a bad idea.”

“It’s okay to be scared, Blake. But I promise you that Róisín and I won’t let you fall. Okay?” Yang said gently, offering Balke her hand. “Trust us?”

Blake inhaled deeply and, after double checking that her hood was up, nodded and gave her hand to Yang, letting her help her into the saddle as Róisín let out a gentle, encouraging croon. A moment later, Yang was swinging up behind her and Blake felt her breathing stall as Yang’s legs bracketed her hips, her hands shifting to rest against Blake’s waist lightly.

“See? I’m right here. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” Yang murmured softly into her ear. “I’m going to keep my hands on your waist and guide you through the motions. Is that okay?”

“Um. Yeah. Yeah, that’s okay.” Blake mumbled back, inhaling deeply and trying to ignore the warmth of Yang’s hands against her sides. “So… what’s first?”

“You’re going to grip the front of the saddle firmly. See where it has a handle? That lets you have as much guidance over Róisín as possible. There we go, good.” Yang said quietly as Blake followed her instructions. “Now… give it a small, sharp tug upwards and lean back towards me and into the saddle.” 

Blake did as instructed and let Yang guide her back. As she felt her back press into Yang’s front, her attention was diverted from Yang’s body when Róisín clambered to her feet and rumbled softly.

“Nicely done.” Yang praised, a small grin noticeable in her voice. She guided Blake back into the standard position and moved her hands to her shoulders and gently pushed them down and moved her hands along Blake’s arms. “Don’t lock up your arms. Keep a firm grip but try to keep your arms relaxed. Locked arms can result in minor injury. And it can make your dragon pick up on your nerves. You’re doing great, Blake, but now… we need to jump off the deep end. You ready?”

  
  


“Sure.” Blake said, rolling her shoulders back and settling, a wave of determination sinking in. “Let’s do this.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” Yang laughed. “Okay. To get the old girl to take off, you’re going to lean forward like this,” Yang explained as she used her body to guide Blake’s, who was trying to focus on the dragon and not the beautiful woman pressed up against her. “And give a sharp push into the front of the saddle using that handle. When we take off, keep a hold of that handle and keep leaning forward. Once Róisín levels out, you can sit up and relax a little. Okay?”

“Okay. Got it.”

“You do. Just take a deep breath and remember that I’m right here.”

Blake inhaled deeply and leaned forward. She felt Yang’s arms slip around her waist for safety and she bit the inside of her cheek. Yang was unfairly warm. She gripped the handle firmly and relaxed her shoulders before giving a sharp push forward. Róisín braced herself, unfurling her wings, and Blake felt all air leave her lungs as they took off. 

Flying was decidedly different to riding as a passenger behind Yang, she discovered. There was something equally terrifying and liberating about working in tandem with this giant beast as they climbed higher and higher into the sky. But it wasn’t until they leveled out that Blake began to breath. She sat back and shakily looked around her, watching as the great red and white wings moved through the air.

“Oh my God.” She said with a slight laugh. 

“See?” Yang said softly as she moved her hands back to Blake’s wait and gave her an encouraging squeeze. “Completely different when you’re the one flying. Now… Róisín here is built more for long journeys and heavy loads. She’s built for tanking, more than anything. It takes her longer to turn so keep that in mind when your dragon picks you.”

“Okay. So how do I turn?” Blake asked eagerly, a slow and excited grin crossing her face. 

“You just lean in the direction that you wanna go.” Yang said, sounding pleased. She gently guided Blake to lean right and, sure enough, Róisín flew into that direction. Yang then guided Blake to lean left, and sure enough, Róisín went left. “If you push forward, she’ll fly lower and pulling back on that handle will guide her into flying higher.” Yang paused for a moment before chuckling in Blake’s ear, sending a shiver down Blake’s spin as she did. “So… now that you’ve got the basics down… wanna have some fun?”

“Uh… sure.”

With that, Yang moved her hands to curl them over Blake’s and soon enough, she was guiding them through a series of turns, dives and twists that soon pulled delighted laughter from Blake. 

With Yang and Róisín helping her, Blake trusted that she’d soon be taking to the skies and fighting back against Mantle’s forces and their young king.

Adam Taurus.


	9. The Parents’ Choice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three years ago, two parents made a choice that forged the fate of their kingdom.
> 
> But a path is never set in stone. Fate can be changed. You just need the right tools and the right company to help you along your way.

**_3 years ago, before the start of the Menagerian/Mistral War._ **

_ “King Taurus.” Ghira Belladonna greeted the young man respectfully, firmly grasping his forearm as they bowed their heads towards one another. “Queen Kali and I welcome you to our kingdom. We hope that you’ll enjoy your stay.” _

_ “I am sure that I will.” Adam Taurus smiled charmingly as he bowed low and kissed the back of Kali’s hand politely. “After all, I come with a proposition that will benefit both of our kingdoms, King Ghira.” _

_ “Then follow us, young man, and let us discuss it amongst ourselves.” _

_ The King and Queen of Menagerie led the young King of Mistral to a small room and sat across from his at a table, calling upon their servants to bring them beverages before they turned to the young man and gave him permission to speak. _

_ “As you’re aware, our kingdoms have struggled with conflict throughout my father’s rule. I seek to end it and forge an alliance between our people.” Adam said calmly as he leaned forward and smiled pleasantly at the couple before him.  _

_ “And how do you wish to do that, King Adam?” Ghira questioned, his amber eyes narrowing. There was something in the young man’s gaze that he didn’t quite trust. Something that made him wary. _

_ “Your daughter, Blake. She’s of marrying age now, yes?” _

_ “She is 18 years of age, if that’s what you’re referring to.” Kali said, her black cat ears twitching as she observed Adam’s jaw tighten slightly. “However, when and  _ **_if_ ** _ she marries is completely up to her.” _

_ “How generous of you to give your daughter such freedom.” Adam chuckled, sending an unpleasant chill down the King and Queen’s spines. “Perhaps that is why I have heard of how…  _ **_unruly_ ** _ … she is.” _

_ “She is young. She’ll calm down as she gets older.” Ghira said, glancing at Kali as she placed a worried hand on his elbow. “But what is your interest in our daughter, young man?” _

_ “I ask for your daughter’s hand.” Adam said with a low bow of his head. “To join our kingdoms in union and end our squabbles once and for all.” _

_ “Blake is our  _ **_daughter_ ** _ , not some pawn in a game of chess.” Ghira growled, his body tensing as Adam narrowed his eyes. “If she marries, it will be because she chooses to. Her life is her own and we will  _ **_not_ ** _ ask her to give it up for the sake of your proposition. We can come to some other agreement, I’m sure.” _

_ “No. I don’t think we can.” Adam sneered, a dangerous flint entering his eyes as he tilted his head at them. “Your daughter is heir to a powerful throne and is one of the most beautiful young women that I have seen. She and I could create something beautiful together.” _

_ “That is not for us to decide. She has made it clear that she doesn’t wish to marry yet. Her mother and I respect that wish.” _

_ “Don’t be a fool, King Ghira.” Adam warned, his voice shifting to a low growl. “I am kindly offering you a way to forge an alliance, which is more than my father ever gave you. Think carefully before you refuse my generous offer.” _

_ “Our daughter is not a tool to be used in our kingdoms’ conflict, King Adam.” Kali said firmly, her ears pinning back against her head. “Blake is free to choose her life’s partner. If she chooses to remain alone, then that is her choice. That is our final answer. If Blake marries, it will be by her choice. For love. Just as we always hoped for her.  _ **_Not_ ** _ to forge an alliance.” _

_ “You will regret refusing me.” Adam growled as he stood. “I will get what I want, one way or another.” _

_ “Please leave my kingdom, King Adam.” Ghira said with an air of finality, nodding towards his guards as they flanked Adam. “I believe that your welcome has run cold.” _

_ As Adam was escorted from their castle, Ghira and Kali exchanged worried glances. They knew that this wouldn’t be the last they would hear of King Adam. But they were not willing to use their daughter, their only child, a weapon of war. _

_ Blake deserved to find someone on her own terms, without the kingdom conflicts influencing her. _

_ They never could have predicted that the young King would go so far as to declare war on them for their refusal. _

* * *

* * *

**_Three years later, present day_ **

By all logic, Blake knew that the war between Menagerie and Mantle wasn’t her fault. Her parents had chosen her happiness over an alliance and for that, she was immensely grateful. But, as she sat on the rooftop of Ruby’s home, she couldn’t help but wonder if she could have stopped all of this. If she had just convinced her parents to let her marry Adam Taurus for the sake of their kingdoms… could all of this had been avoided? Or would things have been worse.

Blake didn’t have the answer to that. She had heard of Adam’s cruelty. She had heard of the way he had forced a bond upon a dragon and that alone told her so much about the kind of man that he was. And yet, she still felt an almost overwhelming sense of guilt and responsibility to fix this. To end the war, once and for all.

She just hoped that, with a dragon beneath her and a sword in her hand, she could challenge the young King and win.

She had to.

For the both kingdoms and the innocent people within them. 


	10. Making Her Proud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Blake admired her sword, she falls into a moment in the past.

_ Blake was eight when she picked up a blade. Her father, King Ghira of Menagerie, had been insistent that his only child learn how to defend herself. Blake’s mother had been in firm agreement with this choice. Admittedly, the couple had come to this decision due to the fact that the young princess had the unfortunate habit of sneaking away from her personal guard and running off on some adventure with her best friend. This, naturally, worried her parents and so, they chose to bring in a master sword fighter.  _

_ Blake would never forget the day that Sienna Khan first introduced her to the blade. The young girl had immediately become enchanted with the discipline of swordplay, watching and asking questions constantly. At first, the woman had been annoyed with Blake’s constant questioning, but as time went on, she soon grew fond of the young girl. She often told Blake that she had the heart of a dragon, fighting with all of the fire that the beasts were known for.  _

_ Of course, that fondness didn’t stop Sienna from giving Blake a sharp wack with a practice sword when she deemed it necessary. _

_ As Blake grew, so too did her skill. She dedicated hours upon hours per day to her craft, determined to hone it as best as she could. She favoured the smallsword, the blade playing into her natural quickness and agility and allowing her to be efficient and quick in taking down her opponents. On her nineteenth birthday, Blake asked to give her family a demonstration of all that she had learned. The following match, with one of her own personal guards as an opponent, had been quick. The man was too heavy on his feet and Blake had used her smaller frame to her advantage, much to her parents’ pride. But it was the way Sienna’s lips twitched upwards into a barely there smile, her tiger ears just barely flicking, as the rest of her expression remained stoic that made Blake swell with pride. She knew in that moment that she had made her teacher proud.  _

_ But it only served to make Sienna’s departure all that more bittersweet for the young woman. Tears entered Blake’s eyes as Sienna gripped the back of her neck and pressed their foreheads together as a mark of respect. It was a sign that Blake’s training with Sienna was over. Her mentor no longer saw her as a student, instead seeing her as an equal. Blake knew that her teacher had done all she could over the past eleven years of instruction. She had to continue her journey alone, as the woman who had been her mentor for years took to the skies on her red and golden dragon Creoboros to fight in the war against Mistral. Blake promised Sienna Khan that she would continue to make her proud, little knowing that it would be the last time that she would ever see her dear mentor. _

* * *

“Blake? Are you okay?”

“Huh?” Blake hummed distantly as she looked up from her new blade to meet the concerned silver gaze of Ruby. The younger woman was standing next to Blake and frowning, tilting her head worriedly. “I’m fine, Ruby. Just… taking a trip down memory lane.” Blake sighed softly, her chest clenching with grief. It had been six months since her old mentor had gone missing in action. Sienna Khan had been one of their most powerful fighters. Losing her had been a devastating blow to both the Menagerian Army and to Blake, who had grown to see Sienna as an adopted aunt of sorts over the years. 

“Okay… if you’re sure, Blake.” Ruby mumbled with a frown before shaking her head and giving Blake a wide grin. “So… your new sword. What do you think?”

“It’s beautiful, Ruby.” Blake murmured softly, running her thumb along the flat of her new blade, quietly admiring the patterns running through the steel. She calmly stepped back and casually twirled the blade in her hand, rotating her wrist and allowing a slow smirk to spread across her face. She may have been terrified at first when she guided  Róisín in flight but she  _ knew _ that she was good with a blade. She glanced up as Yang strolled into the armoury and felt her smirk grow when Yang’s eyes widened slightly. She tucked one arm behind her back and stood tall as she swung the blade down and brought it back up so that the blade was level with the centre of her face. “Now… I do believe that your older sister challenged me to a sparring session. If she would be so kind… I would be honoured to show her the true markings of a swordswoman.”

“Oh. Is that so?” Yang smirked, crossing her arms. Blake forced herself to focus on Yang’s face and  _ not  _ the way the movement made Yang’s arms flex. “Then I think that you need to put your money where your mouth is.”

“Loser has to buy a round of drinks?”

“Deal.” Blake grinned up at Yang as they crossed to the centre of the room and shook hands, both staring challengingly into the other’s eyes. She bit her lip as Yang winked at her before dropping her hand and wandering into the blacksmith and looking around the room, leaving Blake to bite back a smile.

This was going to be fun.

* * *

Blake grinned as she twisted behind Yang and used the top of her foot to send her flyin forward. She was panting from exertion and she couldn’t help but admire the workout that Yang was giving her. She was strong and smart, refusing to let Blake bait her. To say the least, Blake was having a blast.

“Come on, rider.” Blake teased as they circled each other. She spared a glance to her hood to confirm that it was still covering her cat ears and glanced back to Yang with a self assured smirk. “Do you need your big, strong dragon to do  _ all _ of the heavy lifting for you?”

Said big, strong let out an amused chortal as Yang let out an offended noise in her throat. 

“Really? You’re turning my own dragon against me?” Yang growled, a playful glint appearing in her lilac gaze. “I’ll have you know that I can’t stand for that.”

“You should be impressed. It’s no easy feat to turn a dragon against their rider, after all.” Blake gruunted as Yang swung and parried her blow. “I think that Róisín simply knows a winning side when she sees it.”

Blake and Yang traded blows and taunts, pushing each other and trying to bait one another. But it all came to an end when Blake caught the steel of Yang’s blade in the hild of her sword and twisted, effectively disarming her. It was a risky move and not one that many fighters used since it could lead to serious injury. As Yang shook out her sore hand, Blake quickly pointed her blade at Yang’s throat, quirking a brow at the nervous giggle that left her throat before smirking slyly at her

“So…” Blake chuckled lowly. She pressed the flat of her blade against the underside of Yang’s chin and lifted her head up slightly. “I do believe that you’ll be buying that round of drinks, yes?”

“Wow.” It was uttered so quietly that Blake was certain Yang hadn’t intended to say it outloud, especially not in such an awe filled voice. Yang opened her mouth to talk but faltered for a moment before clearing her throat and trying again. “Well. You did- you did just win so… yeah?” Yang let out another nervous laugh and looked down at Blake’s blade before meeting her gaze again. Her throat bobbed as Blake tilted her head curiously at her and Blake found herself enthralled by the blush that crept across Yang’s cheeks. “Please put your sword down now.”

“As you wish.” Blake chuckled softly and resheathed her weapon, curing a hand around its hilt and shifting her weight to one foot.

“You’re good. Like, really,  _ really _ good.”

“Years of training will do that to you.” Blake said with a small shrug before glancing over at Ruby, who sat on the steps of the house with a slack jaw. “Ruby? Is everything ok-”

Blake was cut off as Ruby ran over to her and started rambling at such a high speed that she couldn’t understand what she was trying to say. She shared a look with Yang, who merely shrugged. Blake shook her head and smiled.

She got the feeling that Ruby didn’t plan on letting her go to bed that night without answering a few very excited questions. But she couldn’t bring herself to mind. Especially not since Yang sat watching her with an admiring expression that was almost… intoxicating.


	11. Evasive Maneuvers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake, Yang and Róisín take to the skies once more.
> 
> But things have a habit of not going to plan.

“I’m going to miss you so much!”

Blake found a fond smile pulling at her lips as Yang pulled Ruby in a tight hug, the shorter woman letting out a loud yell of protest as Yang spun around with a playful laugh. Throughout their short stay with Ruby, Blake had come to enjoy the company of the younger sibling, as well as watching the antics of the two sisters. It was oddly similar to how two puppies would play fight fight until their mother would come to scold them.

Granted, the “mother” in this case was a giant, fire breathing reptile that could flatten a house but still. 

“Blake!” Ruby called as she ran up to Blake and pulled the surprised woman into a hug, her arms wrapping around Blake’s neck. “I’m going to miss you, too! Take care of Yang. Not that you’ll have any trouble considering you kicked her ass the other day!”

“She did not-“

“Sis, she practically had you on your knees in worshi-“

“And on that note, we’re leaving! Later, little sister! We need to go!” Yang interrupted, her cheeks suddenly flushing scarlet as she clambered into Róisín’s saddle. She stared pointedly down at the handle, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. “Up and at ‘em, Blake. Let’s go!”

Blake turned to Ruby and quirked a brow at her. Ruby almost immediately mimicked her and after a moment, Blake felt a smile break out across her face as she squeezed Ruby’s shoulder fondly and climbed up behind Yang and wrapped her arms around her waist. It was considerably harder, more now than ever, to refrain from pressing close to Yang. To bury her nose into her shoulder and inhale deeply. But Blake behaves herself. It was a ridiculous urge and one that she pushed to the back of her mind. Yang was just her guide. Nothing more could come from this.

“Happy flying, you two!” Ruby called as she gave them room to fly, her grin bright and excited as Yang prepped Róisín for take off. “Stay safe!”

“You too, trouble!” Yang retorted. She glanced over her shoulder and smirked slightly at Blake, a playful glimmer entering her eyes. “You ready to go, green horn?”

“Obviously.” Blake laughed, a heat creeping up her neck when Yang squeezed on her hands as Blake clasped them across her toned stomach. It was incredibly unfair how Yang could look so beautiful with such a simple smile.

“Then let’s fly.”

And with nothing more said, Róisín braced her red and white wings and pushed off, climbing higher and higher, taking them onwards.

To the Hatchery.

* * *

“So then, that bastard tried to kiss me so I punched him.”

“That’s fair.”

“It actually started a bar fight.” Yang chuckled as they flew, her head turning as she scanned their surroundings. There was an amused note to her voice and Blake got the distinct impression that getting into dramatic situations was a common occurrence for her guide. “I won, naturally.”

“Oh, naturally, huh?” Blake teased, biting her lip as she stared at the back of Yang’s head. “I wasn’t aware that I hired a thug.”

“I’m a good thug. I swear-“

A sudden growl from Róisín had both women on high alert. The dragon’s body tensed and Blake felt Yang’s tense along with it. 

“Hang on.” Yang murmured, as she looked around, trying to pinpoint the cause of her dragon’s distress. What is it, girl?”

Almost as if on cue, a pair of dragons rose up from the woods beneath them, each one bearing a golden head halter on their muzzles. Blake inwardly cursed. She recognised who they were immediately. They belonged to the Mantle army. The dragons themselves from the same class as Róisín. They were, however, of a different species. Their bodies were of a similar shape to Róisín, with six limbs. But their bodies were stockier, with longer, thinner legs. The horned that grew from their skulls were longer and curled, twisting towards the front of their heads and their wings were a deep, blood red. The rest of their scales were black and white, giving them the illusion of being armoured with bone. Their tails were decorated with long spikes and Blake found herself swallowing thickly.

“Lancers.” She breathed out, her breath ruffling Yang’s hair. “Fuck.”

Lancers were a species of dragon with a unique fighting mechanism; they could shoot out their spikes over incredible distances with deadly accuracy. Even from this distance, Blake could tell that the dragon riders weren’t there to have a pleasant chat. She twisted around to get a better look and froze. The two dragons flew close together, almost seeming to work in unison. She watched as one’s tail spiked glowed orange and the other, blue. She didn’t know what their gifts were but she didn’t want to find out.

“What do we do, Yang?”

“We get the fuck out of dodge. My priority is keeping you safe.” Yang said firmly as she leaned forward. “Hold onto me tightly, Blake. This isn’t going to be fun.”

Blake yelped and buried her face into the back of Yang’s shoulder as she suddenly urged Róisín into a nose dive, just barely missing the spikes that flew above their heads, leaving behind trail of ice and fire behind them. As their speed increased, Blake heard the roar of the two dragons behind them and she felt her chest lurch painfully. She could feel Yang heart racing, the wind whipping her golden hair back into Blake’s face. 

“Fuck!” Yang cursed as she guided Róisín upwards to avoid another round of spikes. “Hang on, girl. We’ve got this!”

Blake raised her chin, her eyes widening at the sight of a ravine. A ravine that they were headed straight for.

“Yang?” She called hesitantly. “What are you doing?!”

“Trust me!” Yang called back, her hand moving to Blake’s wrist and giving it a reassuring squeeze as she looked back at her. “We’re not going to let anything happen to you, remember?”

By all logical reason, Blake shouldn’t have placed her trust and her life in the hands of this woman that she barely knew… and yet, as Yang gazed back at her, lilac eyes pleading with Blake to trust her, Blake found that she couldn’t do anything else.

Blake nodded and curled herself around Yang’s back tightly. She felt Yang’s hand squeeze her wrist again and she felt the breath leave her lungs as Yang sent them downwards. Despite Róisín’s slower form, Yang was able to work with her to avoid rocks and walls as they flew through the ravine. She could hear the riders behind them having greater difficulty, even going so far as to curse out their dragons and once more, Blake found herself in awe of just how much the bond with one’s dragon impacted how well they flew together. She felt her heart drop as Yang guided them towards a cave and turned Róisín around to face the entryway, the beast’s great wings keeping them in place as Yang spoke to her.

“Steady, girl. Keep your eye on the top of the archway.”

Blake felt panic bubble up as the riders grew closer. But Yang had asked her to trust her and despite her fear, Blake truly believed that Yang wouldn’t let her down.

“Wait for it…” Yang murmured and, just when the riders were almost there, she let out a sharp yell. “Fire!”

Instantly, Róisín blasted the archway with a fireblast, forcing the two riders to stop as rocks fell and blocked their path. The entryway filled up with rocks, keeping them safe from the dragon’s that let out a frustrated snarl. There was a long silence as the two waited and, upon hearing a lack of noises from the other side, the two women slumped against each other.

“Well…” Yang laughed breathlessly. “That was a thing.”

“Yeah.” Blake said quietly as she pulled away from Yang and quickly adjusted her hood. She bit her lip as she looked around the large cave that they had entered, frowning slightly to herself. “What now?”

“I guess we look for a way out.”

“Joy.”

Blake’s sarcastic mutter was caught in her throat as Róisín turned and landed on the ground with a thud, jolting her passengers as she did. As they traversed through the cave, Blake sighed heavily.

It was never simple, was it?


	12. Finding Our Way

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake, Yang and Róisín make their way through the cave systems to find their way out.
> 
> But not before Blake falls just a little bit harder.

“We’ve been walking for a while now. We should rest.”

Blake nodded in silent agreement, waiting for Róisín to lean close to the ground before jumping down and stretching. It was no easy task trying to find a way out of the large cave system that they now found themselves in and they were all getting tired, especially Róisín. Blake hummed in her throat and walked around to the front of the dragon and gently held her muzzle and rested her forehead against it, gazing up into her kind silver eyes as Róisín crooned softly at her.

“Thank you.” Blake murmured, chuckling softly when Róisín chuffed and nudged her playfully with her snout. “Yeah, you’re a hero, aren’t you? Such a brave, strong hero.” Blake cooed softly as she pressed a kiss to Róisín’s muzzle.

“Hey! What about me?” Yang snorted indignantly, crossing her arms with a playful pout. “What does a rider have to do to impress you?”

“Is she jealous?” Blake said to Róisín, smirking slightly when Yang gave an annoyed huff. Róisín let out an amused chortle and nuzzled into Blake’s torso, earning a small giggle from her as Blake was pushed back by the earnest affection. “Yeah, I think so too, Róisín.”

“Ugh. Women.” Yang grumbled good naturedly. She was carefully removing their ration pack from Róisín’s saddle before settling herself against Róisín’s side when the dragon finally laid down. “Come on. We should eat.” She added as she threw Róisín her meal, dried fish. When Blake sat beside her, she handed her a small pack of rations and smiled softly at her. 

“So…” Blake started, as she bit into dried jerky. “How are we going to get out of here?”

“There’s gotta be another way out of here. We’ll rest up and continue searching for an exit point. Róisín should be able to find it. She’s clever like that.” Yang explained, rolling her eyes when Róisín fluttered her wings happily at the praise. “God, you’re such a ham.” She snorted, reaching back to thump her dragon’s side affectionately.

Blake smiled and continued to eat her rations quietly. If Yang and Róisín worked as well as they did together, despite not being a bonded pair, Blake wondered just how strong Yang would be with a bonded dragon. She doubted that Yang would just retire Róisín. Yang wasn’t that kind of a rider. She was too warm and sweet and kind to do such a thing. Not unless Róisín wanted to, of course.

As they reclined against Róisín’s side, Blake bit back a shiver. It was far colder than she would like and soon, she found herself pulling her hood further over her head and curling up into a ball to conserve body heat.

“Hey.” Yang murmured gently, as she scooted closer to Blake and curled a strong arm around her shoulders. “You’re freezing. C’mere.” Yang pulled Blake into her side, gently holding her close and sharing her warmth with her.

Blake swallowed thickly and tried not to think about how strong Yang felt. How warm and soft her body felt against her own. She tried to ignore the way their bodies seemed to fit perfectly together. She refused to acknowledge how intoxicating Yang’s scent was. She focused on keeping her breathing level and even, even as her heart raced. A shiver ran down her spine as Yang’s hand absentmindedly began to rub her bare arm, her fingers tracing delicate patterns into Blake’s skin. Helplessly, Blake closed her eyes and sunk into Yang, resting her head against a broad shoulder and resting an arm around her waist. 

_ ‘God.’  _ Blake thought to herself weakly, the hair on the back of her neck prickling as she opened one eye to look up at Yang. Her heart stopped as she silently admired Yang’s strong jaw and the gentle warmth of her lilac eyes as they scanned their area for anything that might be of use to them.  _ ‘What is she doing to me?’ _

It was so tempting to lean up and press her lips against Yang’s sharp jaw, to trace her way to her pretty mouth. To nuzzle into her neck. To press close and take up as much space as Yang would grant her… but instead, Blake clenched her eyes shut and tried to breathe and ignore how her chest ached and burned. 

It wasn’t her space to take up. Yang was a free spirit, travelling the world and going on adventures and Blake doubted that Yang would give that up for a life within a castle.

Especially when she learned that Blake had been lying to her.

* * *

“Hey, I think this is it!”

Blake quirked an eyebrow at the back of Yang’s head and felt a helpless smile tug at her lips. The woman just didn’t make things easy for Blake, did she?

And low and behold, Yang was right. As Róisín moved forward, Blake leaned over Yang’s shoulder and saw a faint light at the end of the tunnel. There was an exit after all.

“See?” Yang said with a smug grin that was far too attractive for Blake’s current state of mind. “I told you we’d find a way out, Blake.”

“My heroes.” Blake said dryly, rolling her eyes as she reverted back to snark. “I swoon, truly.”

“Smartass.” Yang chuckled, sounding almost fond as she placed a hand on one of the arms wrapped around her waist and gently brushed her fingertips along it. 

“Yeah.” Blake breathed, biting her bottom lip as she failed to suppress her shiver. She felt Yang’s hand pause before making its way to her hand and squeezing softly as Yang shifted in her seat to meet Blake’s eyes. “I guess I am.” 

Yang’s grin shifted to a softer smile, her gaze becoming more tender as her thumb stroked the back of Blake’s hand. Blake was quick to look away, her cheeks burning as she tried to subtly inhale, trying to regain control over her raging emotions. She heard Yang clear her throat and lean forward to guide Róisín towards the exit as Blake silently berated herself.

The realisation that Yang might be disappointed when she learned who Blake really was had been a sobering one. 

And Blake couldn’t help the way her chest twisted violently at the thought of saying goodbye and never seeing Yang again, even as a friend.


	13. Well... That Was A Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth finally comes out. But perhaps, Yang isn’t the only one caught off guard.

After escaping the Lancer riders and making their way from the cave that they had found themselves trapped in, Blake, Yang and  Róisín continued on their journey. It had been several days since and the small crew found themselves resting under a large tree, resting for the night before continuing on their way.

“So…” Yang said, quirking an eyebrow at Blake as they leaned against Róisín’s side. “We’ll be making our way over the ocean to the island tomorrow. We should make it there by late afternoon. You ready to meet your partner in flight?”

“I am.” Blake said, her voice firm and her eyes glowing brightly. “I’m ready.”

“That’s what I like to hear.” Yang chuckled, nudging her shoulder against Blake’s playfully. Blake’s mouth became dry when Yang smiled brightly at her. Blake knew that she should move away. That she was just asking for trouble. But how could she pull away when everything in her screams at her to push closer? “You know… I could see you with a Wyvern class.”

“Wyvern?” Blake snorted, rolling her eyes. Wyverns were a particularly rare species.They were quick, agile and one of the more powerful species. Not because they were particularly strong, but more so because of the bond that they shared with their rider. The creatures were rare and as such, when they chose their flight partner, it was seen as a great honour to be trusted by such a beast. Many Wyvern riders went on to become great leaders. Which was why Blake doubted that  _ she _ would end up with one as her bonded dragon. “No. No, I don’t think so. I’ll probably get something more common.”

“I disagree. Not many people would leave their home to travel to the most dangerous place on earth to fight in a war, Blake. Maybe you don’t see it… but there’s something special about you.” Yang murmured softly, her gaze gentle as she met Blake’s eyes. “You’re smart. Your skill with a sword is unlike any that I’ve ever seen before. You’re quick and agile… even if your riding skills could use a  _ lot _ of work-”

“Hey!”

“But that’ll come with time and experience. Once you get your dragon and start flying together? Learning and growing together and becoming a unit?” Yang let out a small huff of laughter, an admiring expression crossing her features. “You’re going to be…  _ amazing. _ I mean… you’re already pretty incredible. There is no way that someone like  _ you _ would have a common dragon.”

“Yang…” Blake breathed out, as she tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. The light of their campfire lit Yang’s eyes so that they almost seemed to burn a passionate red, her golden hair almost seeming like golden fire as Blake stared at her. The pull to Yang was stronger now, causing a painful ache in her chest as Yang leaned her forehead against her own. Blake’s breathing hitched and she impulsively reached up and rested a hand on the side of Yang’s neck, her thumb absentmindedly stroking her freckled skin. Against her will, a small whimper left her lips as Yang nudged their noses together, her lilac eyes darting down to Blake’s lips before meeting her gaze once more. Blake shivered as one of Yang’s hands came to rest against her side, gentle and soothing motions being pressed into her skin above her tunic. It was too much and not enough all at once. 

“Blake…”

Yang’s gentle voice tipped Blake over the edge and she pressed forward, claiming Yang’s lips with her own and swallowing her surprised gasp. As Yang kissed back, Blake’s hands framed her face and she tilted her head, deepening the kiss as Yang’s arms curled around her waist and pulled her close. A whine escaped Blake as one of Yang’s hands danced up and down her back, making her wonder why she had been holding back this whole time. Her heart was racing and her mind was filled only with  _ Yang.  _ Her scent, her lips and just how  _ right  _ she felt. But as her cat ears brushed against her hood, she froze. She couldn’t do this. Not when she was keeping something so huge from Yang. It wasn’t fair.

“Blake?” Yang mumbled as Blake pulled away with a gasp, her face contorting with concern as Blake twisted out of her arms and stood on shaky legs. “I’m sorry. Did I do something wrong?”

“No. No, it’s not you.” Blake said, her voice thick with emotion as she trembled. “It’s me.”

“What do you-”

“I’m not who you think I am. I’ve been lying to you and I know I should have just told you but I was so scared that nobody would agree to taking me to the island that I  _ had  _ to keep it hidden.”

“Uh… are you referring to the fact that you’re the Princess of Menagerie? Because I already know who you are, Blake.” 

Blake whirled around and stared dumbly at Yang, who shrugged at her.

“If you’re trying to hide, you should probably cover your face. You’re kind of a public figure. And maybe consider using a different name?” Yang said with an awkward laugh as she stood and approached Blake. 

“I-So- wait-” Blake stuttered as she stared at Yang in confusion. “You’re not mad?”

“Why would I be mad?” Yang tilted her head curiously at Blake and smiled gently. “You don’t owe me shit, Blake. I figured that you had your reasons for hiding it.”

“Oh.” Blake muttered shakily as she ran her hand through her hair, dislodging her hood and revealing her ears. She watched Yang’s eyes dart up to her head for a breath moment before they moved back to her eyes. “Okay. Sure.”

“I am curious, though.” Yang said softly. “Why is the Princess of Menagerie so eager to fight in a war? You could die, you know.”

“Because people are dying. I’m not going to just sit pretty and wait for a hero. I have to try. To do my part, regardless of what people think of a princess fighting in a war.” Blake said, her body stiff. She watched as Yang blinked at her before a small smile crossed her lips and she gently cupped Blake’s jaw and brushed her cheek with her thumb. 

“See? I told you. You’re special, Blake.” Yang butted her forehead against Blake’s, her smile growing when Blake’s hands came up to rest against her waist. Blake closed her eyes and allowed Yang to pull her into a hug, helplessly burying her face into her neck.

Yang really did make a habit of surprising her… didn’t she?


	14. A Bond Formed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls finally arrive at Hatchery Island, eager to forge a bond between Blake and her dragon.

“There it is! The Hatchery!”

Blake leaned over Yang’s shoulder and gasped as a volcanic island came into view. Even from this distance, she could see the damage that the volcano had done to the land, creating the perfect nesting place among the rocks and crevices for dragon’s of all species. There were high cliffs all along the island, allowing the beasts to live safely within caves as they grew. Blake curled her arms tightly around Yang’s waist before pressing her forehead against a firm shoulder and breathing in deeply. This was it. This was the day.

“You okay back there?” Yang called gently, turning her head as Róisín flew closer to the island. Her lilac eye shone with concern and Blake was quick to smile reassuringly at her, eager to placate her guide.

“I’m okay. Just- I can’t believe it. For years, I listened to my father and mentor talk about their dragons and that moment of bonding with them. What it felt like to finally meet their bonded dragon.” Blake said softly, her now free cat ears flicking nervously. “And now… it’s my turn.” She swallowed thickly before continuing, a worried note slipping into her voice as she did. “What if I don’t have a dragon? What if I dragged you out here for nothing, Yang?”

“You have a dragon, Blake. I just know it. Róisín does too… right, girl?” Yang said, accompanied by a garble of agreement from the red and white dragon. “See? And even if you  _ don’t  _ have a dragon, you had to try, right?”

“But then this would have been for nothing.”

“I don’t know.” Yang murmured as she smiled softly at Blake, turning her head and torso to meet her gaze evenly. “I’m pretty sure that getting the chance to meet you was well worth it, Blake.”

Blake blinked slowly at Yang, her cheeks burning. She felt her heart swell with affection and, unable to keep it to herself, she leaned forward and gently pressed a kiss to Yang’s lips, greedily drinking in the way Yang smiled against her mouth before kissing back.

“No distracting the flyer.” Yang whispered as they pulled back, a soft smirk pulling at her lips.

“Are you kidding me? You  _ are  _ the distraction.” Blake huffed, no longer attempting to hide the way her thumbs traced Yang’s firm abdomen. 

Both women let out a small yelp as Róisín jostled them, an amused chortle leaving her throat as both women let out matching, indignant yells. 

“Róisín! You useless reptile! Watch it!”

“Could you not try to pitch us off into the ocean, girl?”

Blake bit back a laugh as Róisín snorted, warning a gentle scolding from Yang as she did. 

She was going to miss these girls if they parted ways. She knew that for certain.

* * *

It was afternoon when they landed, just as Yang had promised. They remained seated in Róisín, both women scanning the area for any dragon’s that might decide to make a tasty snack out of them. 

“Huh.” Yang said, when none appeared. “No dragons. That’s fortunate-“

A sudden roar interrupted her and both women looked around nervously as dragon’s began to skunk out from the shadows and behind rocks. Blake could see nearly every single class of dragon and as they began to salivate, she doubted that any of them were hers.

“You just had to tempt fate, didn’t you?” Blake hissed as Yang urged Róisín into a run, darting in and out of rock formations as they tried to escape the pack of angry fire breathing lizards and avoiding their various attacks. 

“Hey, maybe save the judging for  _ after _ I get us out of this alive, yeah?” Yang yelled back, shifting her weight to the right to avoid a standard class’s fire blast. “C’mon, girl. You and me. Let’s lose ‘em!”

With the careful efficiency gained only through experience, Yang soon guided them away from the beasts and into a cave, whereupon she and Blake jumped to the ground as Róisín stood guard. They quickly knelt and gave each other a desperate look as dragon’s roared in the distance.

“So… remember what I said about me not having a dragon?” Blake said quietly, her ears pinning against her skull sadly. 

“No… no, that makes no sense. There is no way that  _ you _ , of all people, are dragonless.” Yang muttered quietly, her brow creasing in confusion. “There’s gotta be another explanation.”

“Like what, Yang?!”

“I don’t know!”

Blake and Yang blinked as a tiny, high pitched and young sounding growl sounded from the back of the cave and they turned to see a pair of bright, blue eyes staring at them from the shadows. They shifted closer as footsteps drew near, the growling getting louder as the creature got closer… until, out from the shadows stepped a golden dragon…

That barely came up to their knees.

“It’s a hatchling.” Blake breathed out gently as the baby dragon glared at them for a long moment before it’s expressuon almost shifted to curiosity. It stepped forward, its eyes locked into Yang and Blake felt her heart jump. 

“No way.” Yang murmured thickly as the creature drew closer, allowing them to see that it belonged to the Eastern class. It’s body was serpentine in nature, with legs shorter than what one would expect from a standard class. They could see the beginning nubs of the species' great, twisting horns on the top of their skull and growing in between those nubs, down their skull, neck and body, right down to the top of their tail, was a purple mane. Small whiskers grew from their rectangular snout and Blake could see the creature’s young baby teeth poking out through their lips as they turned to glare angrily at her.

“Woah!” Blake jumped as the small dragon suddenly snarled, its body lighting on fire as it stared her down. “Someone has a temper.”

“Hey!” Yang said sharply, earning the hatchling’s attention and their ire. “Don’t get all huffy with me!” She warned as the baby dragon blew angry smoke rings from their nose. Yang and the small beast flared at each other for a long moment before the dragon stepped towards her and sniffed her hand when Yang held it out in offering.

Blake held her breath as the dragon looked into Yang’s eyes. Blake felt time slow down as blue began to shift, the dragon’s eyes changing colour ever so slowly until they matched Yang’s own lilac gaze.

The baby dragon was now Yang’s.

“Oh my God.” Yang murmured thickly, her eyes shining with tears as she ran her hand down the dragon’s neck, smiling as the baby dragon purred happily and nuzzled into her hand. “Hi! Hey, baby dragon.” She laughed softly before turning to Blake with a grin that slowly fell. She glanced at the small dragon and then back at Blake before a guilty expression crossed her face. “Oh my God. Blake- I am  _ so  _ sorry! I-“

“Why are you sorry?” Blake asked gently, placing a hand on Yang’s shoulder and smiling at her. “You’ve found your dragon, Yang. That is nothing to be sorry for. I’m happy for you.”

“Yeah… but we came here for you-“

“And I don’t have one.” Blake said, smiling sadly. “And that hurts but… how could I hold this against you? That would be selfish of me.”

Yang opened her mouth to say something before they heard an angry squeak and an irritated rumble and turned to see the small dragon take a hold of Róisín’s tail and shake their head viciously… or as viciously as a baby dragon trying to fight a full grown dragon could manage. Róisín lifted her tail in an almost bored manner and, with the baby still attached, brought it over to her front paws and used one to pluck the baby off. She then promptly used her great head to pin the young dragon down as they squealed indignantly before letting out a huff and laying still, a quiet growl rumbling from their throat as they almost seems to give Yang a pleading and almost embarrassed look.

“Tough lil’ thing… isn’t she?” Yang murmured, her voice dropping with fondness for her new companion.

“She certainly has a fiery temper.” Blake deadpanned, staring blankly at her guide as Yang narrowed her eyes at Blake before letting out a small laugh.

“Thanks, Blake.” Yang sighed as she leaned over to press her forehead against Blake’s sweetly. ”What do you think I should call her?”

“You’re asking me?”

“Yeah.” Yang mumbled softly, a faint blush spreading across her cheeks. “I want you to name her.”

Blake felt heat creep up her neck. Naming a dragon was a serious thing. It was the name that you gave to your flight partner; the creature responsible for keeping you safe in the air. To be asked to name someone else’s dragon… it was a high honour and immensely flattering.

“Um… okay. Let me think for a minute.” Blake said quietly as she pulled away to look at a very indignant baby dragon as she struggled against the adult dragon that was now cuddling her. She was a feisty one. Bold and feisty, with a temper to match. Blake couldn’t help but chuckle to herself. It made sense that somebody as strong as Yang would get an equally as strong dragon. “Oh.”

“What? What is it?” Yang asked as she gazed at Blake curiously, tilting her head slightly at Blake’s slightly awed tone.

“Trasa.” Blake said simply, with a small shrug. “I think that you should call her Trasa.”

“It means strength. Like… as a sort of good omen for the future?”

“No. Because both she and her rider embody it.”

Yang stared at her blankly for a minute before she cupped Blake’s jaw and pulled her close, until they were a mere breath away from touching each other.

“Can I kiss you?”

“I mean… I wouldn’t  _ complain  _ about it.”

Blake squeaked slightly as Yang pressed forward and kissed her firmly, her thumbs stroking soothing circles into Blake’s cheeks as Blake melted into her.

There was no denying that Blake was disappointed and even hurt that she didn’t find her dragon, if they existed at all, but the journey wasn’t an entire loss. Yang had found her bonded dragons and with Yang pressed up against Blake, her hands framing her jaw as she held her face oh so gently, Blake found it hard to complain.

She’d find another way to play her part in the war. Her fight wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.


	15. A New Family Member

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things tend to change when babies get involved. Even more so when that baby just so happens to be a fiery reptile.

Getting out from the island turned out to more simplistic than getting in. The complicated part, however, was the fact that Blake found herself with a very young and very wiggly dragon baby in her lap.

“Trasa!” Blake groaned as the young dragon placed her paws on her shoulders and looked behind her with a delighted squeal. “Yes, I know. Flying is very exciting but I  _ swear _ , if you don’t sit down…”

“Don’t worry. We’re landing for the night now, Blake. We can rest and try to think of a better alternative.” Yang called back, though Blake could heat the amusement in her voice. “You know… holding a baby suits you.”

“I will throw you off of this dragon.” Blake said dryly, wincing as Trasa climbed into her shoulders and curled around the back of her neck like a scarf. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take-ow!” Blake yelled as one of the young dragon’s claws accidentally dug into her bicep, trying to right her balance as she stumbled a little. “God. Okay. Please tell me you have bandages?”

“Wait… what? Shit! Okay, hang on.” All amusement fell from Yang’s voice as she guided Róisín down into a small clearing in the woods that they flew over. Once all feet were on the ground, Yang quickly and carefully pulled Trasa from Blake’s shoulders and plopped her to the ground, though not before gently scolding her. “C’mere.” Yang murmured as she gently sat Blake on the ground and set about cleaning and dressing the now bleeding cut. “Crap. I am  _ so  _ sorry, Blake.”

“It’s fine. She’s a baby. She’s still learning how to use her body.” Blake said calmly, smiling up at Yang. Almost as though it were on cue, Trasa ran past them in pursuit of a butterfly, only for her front paws to get tangled together in her haste. The young dragon crashed to the ground with a high pitched screech, her muzzle slamming against the dirt. “See?” Blake giggled, watching Trasa hiss angrily as she thrashed on the ground, jumping to her feet and growling angrily at the earth as though it had personally insulted her. Trasa attempted to bite the earth, yelping when her nose struck the hard ground for a second time. She stood, her lilac eyes narrowed angrily before she snarled, her small body lighting up with flames, just as she had back in the cave. She reared back on her hind paws and slammed her weight into the ground, scorching a small patch of earth. “Huh. So… she’s able to do double damage when she lights up. That’s interesting.”

“Yeah.” Yang said softly, and when Blake turned to face her, she felt her heart melt at the utterly fond expression on Yang’s face. “She’s going to be a pretty good dragon one day. We just need to teach her to deal with that temper of hers.”

“We?” Blake asked curiously, biting her lip as Yang flushed a bright and embarrassed pink. 

“Um… I mean… you know…” Yang mumbled, focusing a little too intently on Blake’s wound as she began to wrap it. “Me and Róisín, obviously.”

Róisín let out a loud and disbelieving snort, giving Yang an unimpressed look. Yang flushed darker and Blake let out a small giggle, choosing to save her from further embarrassment just this once and leaning over to kiss her cheek. Yang sighed softly and turned her head to catch Blake’s lips with her own before she could pull too far away. Blake closed her eyes and hummed happily, barely opening her eyes as Yang pulled back to finish her work.

Arm now bandaged, the two turned to watch young Trasa sit down on the ground with a pout, evidently displeased that her foe didn’t yield to her nightly dragon prowess. She glanced over at Yang and, tail wagging madly, ran over and climbed into her lap. Blake quirked a brow as the young dragon leaned over to sniff her arm before looking up at her with a tilted head.

“You’re too cute for your own good, little one.” Blake chuckled as she reached out and scratched Trasa’s chin. Trasa lifted her lip in a silent snarl at first before her eyes fluttered shut and she leaned into Blake’s touch with a small purr. “There… see? I’m not so bad, am I?” Blake whispered. She glanced up at Yang and felt her breathing catch at the soft, adoring expression on her face. She swallowed thickly as they both leaned forward, lips brushing and eyes fluttering closed… until a loud squawk interrupted them. 

They looked down to see Trasa pouting up at Blake before placing her chin against Blake’s fingers and nudging her, demanding more chin scratches.

“Ugh.” Yang groaned as she buried her face into Blake’s neck, while Blake relented and scratched Trasa’s chin. “Kids.”

Blake rolled her eyes as Trasa yawned and shifted so that she was curled up against Yang’s chest. Yang, despite her attempt at sounding annoyed, instantly melted, curling her arms protectively around the baby dragon and holding her close. Blake sighed softly, wrapping her arms around Yang and resting her chin on her broad shoulder. She heard Yang laugh softly before leaning against her and, feeling a wave of affection for her, Blake pressed several light kisses into her neck, silently delighting in the way Yang’s pulse jumped beneath her lips. A moment later, Róisín was curling her large body around all three of them, keeping them safe and warm as she cranes her head to give Trasa a small nuzzle before laying her head down between her paws.They made for an odd group, Blake supposed.

But maybe, unbeknownst to them, a family could sometimes be a princess, her guide, a dragon with mama bear syndrome and the baby dragon that they found.


	16. Falling Hard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As they continue on their way, Blake considers the nature of her and Yang’s relationship and where it’s going to go when she returns home.

“This is  _ so  _ much better.” 

Blake groaned into Yang’s neck the following morning, smiling despite herself when her guide laughed, her back rumbling against Blake’s chest. They sat on Róisín’s saddle, both women now free from the very wiggly baby dragon that now resided within Róisín’s great front paws. They could hear little Trasa’s indignant squawks, though it did little to affect Róisín who merely grumbled like a weary grandmother. 

“I know. I don’t think Trasa’s happy about it though.” Yang said, glancing over her shoulder to smirk at Blake. As if on cue, they heard a particularly angry screech come from below them, as though Trasa was aware that she was being mocked and wasn’t going to stand for it. “How’s your arm, by the way?”

“Good. A little sore, but good.” Blake rested her chin on Yang’s shoulder and sighed softly, a small crease appearing in her brow. “You know… I am going to be in  _ so _ much trouble when I go home. I don’t know how I’m going to convince my family to let me be a foot soldier.”

“You’ll figure something out. You’re not one to back down from a challenge, Blake.” Yang said gently as she squeezed Blake’s wrist affectionately. “You’ve got this.”

Blake merely hummed and turned to press her smile into Yang’s neck, nuzzling her nose against her skin and planting soft kisses every now and again that made a shiver course through her companion. It was so easy to fall into what almost seemed like routine affection with Yang. To press kisses into soft skin and against gentle lips, to run hands across a strong back. To press close to her as they drifted off to sleep. It was getting harder and harder to imagine life without Yang in it. She knew that she didn’t want to say goodbye. She knew that it would break her heart. She knew that she wanted to ask Yang to be hers and to be Yang’s in return. 

She just didn’t know how mutual her feelings were. Did Yang see what they had as temporary? As nothing more than a fleeting moment in time? Did each moment shared, each kiss and touch, mean as much to Yang as it did to Blake? 

Blake didn’t know the answers and, if she was being perfectly honest, she was scared to find out.

* * *

They had been flying for some time, with Blake deep in anxious thought, when Róisín let out a small growl, her neck tending as she looked around her. Almost immediately, Blake and Yang we’re both on high alert, straining their eyes and ears to their surroundings in hopes of catching what had set Róisín off. There was a long pause and both women and beasts began to grow increasingly worried.

Something that soon proved to be well placed when spikes of ice and fire flew above their heads.

“Shit! These guys again?!” Yang growled as the two riders and their dragon’s from before appeared in front of them. “Mistral needs to learn when to give up!”

“Or perhaps you need to learn when you’re bested, girl.” One of the riders called out, snapping his fingers. On cue, they heard the sound of more dragons taking flight and soon enough, their little group was surrounded by the Mistralian army. “Now… we know that you’re carrying the princess of Menagerie. Relinquish her to us and we may be lenient with you.”

“How did- you know what? It doesn’t matter. She’s not going with you.” Yang said firmly, resting her hand against Blake's wrist for a moment. 

“Princess Belladonna… surely you wish to avoid a fight?” The man said, his fox ears twitching as he met Blake’s gaze. “You wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt now… would you?”

“You don’t have to do this.” Blake called back, mimicking the way she had seen her father speak during difficult times. “We’re just passing through.”

“I’m afraid we do. You see… our king has a proposition for you-“

“One that has been refused time and time again.” Blake said sharply, one hand moving to the hilt of her blade as the circle of dragons began to grow smaller. “If he wishes to discuss terms, then he can address my father. Now let us through.” 

“Then you leave us no choice.” The man said with a sneer before addressing the rest of the riders surrounding them. “Take them down. But keep the princess alive. Capture her and bring her to King Taurus. As for the rest… make sure they can’t follow us.”

“Róisín, now!” Yang’s voice was sharp as she urged Róisín into a downward spiral, the rest of the riders hot on their tail. Blake curled her arms around tightly, gritting her teeth as the wind whipped at her cat ears painfully. There were too many riders to fight. It felt like an unfair repeat of their first encounter with the two men and Blake found herself wishing fiercely that she had a dragon of her own to assist Yang better.

The Mistralian army was closing in on all sides, the lighter and faster dragons keeping up effortlessly and redirecting Róisín as the heavier dragons slammed their weight into them, jilting them painfully. Blake didn’t know how long they raced away from them, nor could she recall exactly how it happened. But one moment, she was seated behind Yang… and in the next, she was free falling through the air, a horrified scream following her as Yang desperately tried to urge Róisín to save her. But her way was blocked by the army, each dragon and their rider snarling and pushing her back as the man from earlier swooped down and caught Blake in his dragon’s clutches. 

“No! Yang!” Blake cried as she struggled against the dragon’s paws. “No!”

But it was of no use. Blake was effortlessly carried away, all while she heard the outraged and terrified shouts of Yang and the enraged roar of Róisín as they watched helplessly.

Princess Blake Belladonna of Menagerie was on her way to the kingdom of King Adam Taurus. And God only knew what he had in store for her.


	17. The Beginnings of Guilt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake Belladonna feels the stirrings of guilt as she forcibly escorted to Mistral.

“As the Princess of Menagerie and heir to the throne, I order you to take me back to my guide!”

Blake snarled, struggling against the paws that firmly gripped her arms. She thrashed angrily, her ears pinning against her head as she glared up at the chin of the dragon holding onto her. She was trying to mimic her father’s booming voice, the way he could gain control over a room with just her presence… but unsurprisingly, it wasn’t successful. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.” Blake muttered bitterly as a condescending laugh floated down to her. She may be King Ghira’s child but she knew that she would never match up to him. How could she? She was just the wild child princess. What chance did she have of her rule comparing to that of her parents?

“Silence, child.”

“Oh, please.” Blake snorted, wincing as her arms began to ache painfully from being restrained for so long. “What are you gonna do? Kill me and show up to Mr. Can’t Be Bothered To Kidnap His Own Princess empty handed? Seriously! If he wants me so badly, why doesn’t he get off his throne and get me himself? Is he afraid to get his hands dirty? Too pampered to worry about chipping a nail? We all know that coward’s been hiding behind his castle walls while his soldiers die.”

“Watch your mouth when speaking about our king, girl!”

“Yes, well… I don’t know if you know this or not but I kind of have a reputation for having a problem with authority.” Blake drawled, smirking when her sensitive arms caught the sound of a frustrated growl. If they thought that they were just going to force her into the role of damsel in distress without her being as combative as possible, then they were in for a rude awakening; Blake Belladonna didn’t do demure and submissive. “So you can tell your king that kidnapping me won’t get him what he wants.”

“Being combative won’t bring your little girlfriend and her pets back.” The man chuckled darkly, sending an unpleasant chill down Blake’s spine. “Such a shame that you’re to blame. Whoever thought that the child of Ghira the Merciful would be so callous as to sacrifice her loyal guide?”

“I did no such thing!” Blake growled, her chest clenching painfully as her mind cruelly played back the sound of Yang’s screams. She felt her breathing hitch painfully as guilt began to creep in before she roughly shook her head. “I am not responsible for _your_ actions!”

“”But she wouldn’t have been out here if it weren’t for you.” 

Blake gritted her teeth and stared resolutely ahead. She ignored the way tears began to burn the corners of her eyes. Pretended that the man hadn’t voiced the fear that had been silently bubbling away in the back of her mind since she fell from Róisín’s back. No, instead, she inhaled deeply and spoke with as much firmness as she could, her voice filled with a confidence that she didn’t feel. “You won’t get away with this.”

“Oh, dear girl. The fight’s already over.”

_‘No.’_ Blake thought to herself, her teeth digging anxiously into her bottom lip until she tasted blood. _‘Not yet. Not by a long shot.’_

* * *

Many hours later, they finally came to the kingdom of Mistral. As they flew low over the kingdom, Blake felt her stomach lurch at the sight of foot soldiers patrolling the cities. She could see children hiding behind their mothers fearfully. She watched as innocent civilians were pushed to the ground. Their homes were in shambles and their clothes patched and tattered. It made Blake feel sick.

Mistral has once been a glorious kingdom. Many spoke of how beautiful it had been. But since Adam has come into power, it seemed that things had changed drastically. 

Yet another reason for Blake to escape. As she heard the cries of the people of Mistral, she realised that they weren’t ust fighting for her people anymore. No, they were fighting for _all_ of them. For each living soul that Adam sought to control. For each and every single drop of blood that stained Adam’s throne. This was no longer a battle for Menagerie but rather, a battle for them all.

It made Blake feel sick as they flew closer to the castle of Adam Taurus but she couldn’t afford to turn away from it. She didn’t know what she could do to make a change but she knew that she had to try. 

Adam had to be dethroned.

And what better way to take down a tyrant than from right within his own walls?


	18. Animosity At First Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake arrives at Adam’s castle and finally meets the man responsible for so much suffering.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m slowly getting back into the swing of things with this au!
> 
> Now... I’ve put a little Easter egg in this chapter. Bonus bee points to those that find it 😂

The castle was large and foreboding as Blake’s captor guided his dragon to the stairs that led up to the mighty oak doors and ordered the beast to drop her to the ground. Blake fell hard, her aching arms screaming out in pain as the wind was knocked from her lungs. She gasped, her voice ragged, as she climbed to her feet, her hand pulling her blade from its sheath and spinning around as a group of armed guards circled around her. She pulled her lips back into an angry, feral snarl, amber eyes flashing gold dangerously as she kept turning, never leaving her back to one enemy for too long.

“I suggest you let me go.” Blake growled, her hair whipping against her face in the wind. She felt a brief stab of satisfaction as one of the guards faltered, his drawn sword wavering slightly as she glared around her. She inhaled sharply as more guards crept forward and she cursed under her breath. Her arms were burning and she could barely hold her blade up. She knew there was no way to fight her way out of this situation.

“Well, aren’t you tenacious.”

Blake whirled around and stared furiously at the figure clad in black and red as he walked down the stairs. Above him, sitting on a stone archway, perched a Wyvern class. They had obviously once been a beautiful dragon, though their body bore the results of a forced bond. Their scales were a lifeless ashen colour, as thick, silver veins covered their body. Scars crisscrossed along their hide, no doubt the result of cruel training methods. An iron mask covered its eyes, sitting above the pointed muzzle that hung open as the creature’s rattling breath slipped from its lungs, as though it were suffering a great pain. The sight made her chest twist painfully, almost as though she could feel the dragon’s pain like it was her own. Something about the sorry looking beast made her want to reach out to it. To protect it. To care for it. But it was as her gaze drifted back to the man that her stomach cooled with horror. She felt her breathing hitch fearfully, her eyes going wide with terror. She had heard of Adam Taurus. Had listened to the stories about the man corrupted by a forced bond but nothing could have prepared her for what she saw before her now.

Sharp, white veins crept up his neck and spread across his skin, which had become a shade of grey that she had only seen on the dead. The veins led up to his face, where an old burn covered his left eye, rendering it useless. His remaining right was a sharp and cold blue that almost seemed to stare at her as though she were nothing more than his next meal ticket. His lips, tinted a lifeless blue, curled upwards into a cruel smile that made her freeze as he walked towards her, his steps seeming closer to a slight limp than anything else. It was as she was staring at him in abject horror that one of his guards slammed into her, knocking her to the ground and confiscating her blade.

“Thank you, Trifa.” He said without emotion, standing in front of Blake as two soldiers pulled her to her knees and forced her look up at him. He tsked at her expression, his good eye narrowing at her as he bent down on one knee to meet her gaze. “So stubborn.”

“I’ve heard that I get it from my father.” Blake hissed, her lips twitching when Adam’s jaw tightened slightly. “You know… the man who you’re at war with? How do you think he’s going to respond when he hears that you’ve kidnapped his only child and heir?”

“He’ll give me exactly what I want in hopes that I don’t kill you.” 

“We both know what you want so don’t play coy.” Blake huffed, her ears pinning against her head. She swallowed thickly, desperately trying not to let her fear show. “And the answer is the same as it’s always been; no!”

“Oh. You and your family underestimate me, my love.” Adam crooned as he cupped her jaw. Blake cringed at his touch. It was cold as ice. “I always get what I want. And all I want… is you.”

“You want my kingdom. You want my power. We both know it’s not me you want. It’s control.” Blake’s voice wavered, her chest tight as her heart raced. “I’ve seen what you’ve done to your kingdom. I promise you this; not only will I never allow you to do the same to mine but I will make sure that your people are freed from your tyranny.”

“You’re just as foolish as your father.”

“Fuck you, goatman.”

Blake head snapped to the side as a resounding slap sounded in the courtyard. She let out a sharp cry as the taste of blood hit her tongue and she bit back the tears that stung her eyes. But beneath it all, beneath the fear and pain, Blake took notice of it. Adam could be pushed into acting without thought. He could be pushed into making a mistake. 

She had to remember that.

“Now, now. See what you made me do, my darling? You made me lose my temper.” Adam said as he stood, turning to his guards as Blake bowed her head with gritted teeth. “Take her to the dungeons. No food or water for two days and nights. Perhaps that will teach her to respect her king.”

Blake was forced to her feet and dragged in the direction of the castle. But as she passed Adam, she lifted her head. It was like Sienna always told her; never let them smell weakness or fear, no matter close to your throat their blade is. Remain strong, remain bold and remain patient.

It seemed that it was time to see whether or not Blake’s time with Sienna would pay off. But little did the princess know that the moment she was thrown into her cell, that a familiar voice would call out to her, a tone full of surprise and wonder meeting her ears. A voice that Blake hadn’t heard in a very long time.

“Blake?”

“Sienna?!”


	19. A Warrior’s Heartbreak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so, Blake finally leaned about what happened to Sienna. But can she convince a heartbroken warrior to stand back up and fight?
> 
> Or will this be one battle that Blake must fight on her own?

A woman sat in the cell across from Blake, her face thinner than Blake remembered, eyes filled by a pain that knocked Blake’s breath from her lungs. A pair of tiger ears sat atop her head, her shirt black hair now dull. Her clothes were torn and patched. 

“Sienna?” Blake breathed, tears filling her eyes as she stood and curled her fingers around the bars of her cell, voice trembling terribly. “Is that-  _ fuck.  _ It  _ is  _ you.”

“So… Taurus managed to accomplish what he set out to do all those years ago when your parents refused him your hand.” Sienna said quietly, golden eyes narrowing. Her lips pulled back into a disgusted snarl as she shook her head, a mirthless chuckle falling from her lips. “That  _ bastard. _ ”

“I thought that you were dead. We  _ all  _ thought that you were dead!” Blake said, her voice cracking as she tried to connect the woman she saw now to the mentor that used to teach her. She swallowed thickly, her throat suddenly tight. 

“We had a mole.” Sienna said quietly, voice low, her hands balling into fists as she leaned against the bars of her own cell. “Yuma. He fed Adam information. When we planned an ambush to take him down… well, you’re aware of the old saying “The hunter becomes the hunted,” aren’t you, Blake?”

“And… of your men and their dragons? What happened to them?”

“Slaughtered without mercy.” Sienna’s eyes darkened. She bowed her head, jaw clenching and unclenching as she inhaled and exhaled carefully. “Every last one of them.”

“Oh, Sienna.” Blake breathed, her breath hitching violently. Her ears pinned back against her head and she took a deep breath. “Okay. So… we’ll come up with a plan get out of here, find Creoboros and-“

Blake was cut by the cold and empty laugh that slipped from Sienna’s throat. She felt a chill run down her spin as Sienna raised her head and met her gaze with a dark and bitter smile. “Creoboros is dead. They killed him. I watched, bound and helpless, as Taurus and his  _ monster  _ killed my partner in flight.”

“Oh my God…” Blake breathed. She knew that the bond could cause dragons to follow their rider to the afterlife. But the effect it had on humans and faunus, who were unable to follow as a dragon did, suffered for the remainder of their lives. “Sienna… I am  _ so sorry _ . Creoboros will have justice-“

“Do you know what it’s like?” Sienna wondered softly, her gaze far away from the present moment. “When you bond with your dragon? It’s a beautiful feeling, Blake. You feel a pull. Something that you couldn’t fight if you tried. You want nothing more, in that moment, than to care for them. To love them. To protect them. Everything within you looks at this powerful beast and screams that this is your family. This was what you were put on earth for… to bond with this animal and fly through the skies and work as a unit.” Sienna smiled, soft and fond and full of love for the dear friend she flew with for years and Blake felt something in her chest pull tight as she remembered how she felt as she gazed at the Wyvern. There was no way.., was there? “But they don’t tell you what it’s like when they die. It’s not quick. It’s not painless. You can feel the connection you have to them be slowly pulled from your very soul. It burns like fire, it feels like you’re being ripped in two. And when their soul finally leaves their body, when they take their last breath and leave you all alone… there’s nothing. The place that they used to live is empty.” 

“Sienna…”

“Taurus has what he wants now, Blake. Remember what I taught you. Know when to pick your battles. Know when you are beaten.” Sienna made to turn around, to turn her back to Blake until Blake’s voice rang out, stronger than she knew she was capable.

“And what of fighting like a dragon, Sienna?” Blake demanded, her gaze and voice sharp as Sienna paused. “You told me that I had the heart of a dragon. That I fight with all of the fire of one. I don’t care how hopeless it feels. I don’t care that Taurus has me behind bars. I’m not done fighting. My fire hasn’t gone out.”

“But mine has.”

“No. It hasn’t.” Blake sighed, her tone softening as she gazed at the woman across from her. “It’s still there, Sienna. I can see it in your eyes. It’s small, but it’s still there. It’s your choice whether or not you let it grow.” Blake ran a thumb along the split in her lip, a low growl leaving her throat as she lifted her head proudly. “I’m getting out of this. And when I do, I would love to have the honour of fighting side by side with the greatest warrior I’ve ever known.”

A small huff left Sienna as she turned to look at Blake over her shoulder with a wry smile. “You remind me of your father. Strong. Bold. Aggravatingly good at speeches.” Sienna chuckled without mirth again. “And you definitely have your mother’s reckless attitude. Her compassion too.”

“Thank you.”

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

“My mother’s taken out assassins with tea trays so I’m taking it as one.” Blake smirked slightly, taking in the way Sienna turned to meet her gaze properly. “So… will you help me?”

“Will you take no for an answer?”

“If you don’t want to fight, I won’t force you. If you really have nothing left, you’re more than welcome to take a knee.” Blake pulled back from her bars and exhaled heavily, her eyes darting around her surroundings. “I know you’re hurting. I can’t even begin to imagine what it must have felt like to lose him. I won’t hold it against you if you need to give up.” She smiled softly at Sienna as she stepped back and turned, glancing over her shoulder as she walked to the concrete bed in the far right corner. “No matter what happens, you’ll  _ always _ be the woman I looked up to.”

Blake heard Sienna hum thoughtfully before her footsteps faded away into her own cell. Blake carefully laid down on her back, her smile twisting into a frown as her thoughts turned to Yang. Guilt twisted her heart painfully and she felt a lump form in her throat. She had to get out. She had to stop Adam Taurus from hurting anyone else.

And she'd stand alone if she had to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp. Now we know what happens when the dragon dies before their rider now. 
> 
> Do y’all think Sienna will get back up? Did Blake’s pep talk work?


	20. There’s Not Enough Chains To hold Me Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake plays nice with Adam and his men... until she doesn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now that Beehaw Week is over, we bring you back to our regular program of;
> 
> Be Queer, Ride Dragons.

It was a long forty-eight hours for Blake Belladonna. She was hungry and fatigued and yet, she couldn’t sleep. She was beginning to suffer from bouts of dizziness, leaving her to grip her head in frustration. Her tongue felt swollen from dehydration, her mouth dry and she was beginning to feel sluggish. It was torture for the young woman as she waited for Adam’s punishment to over with.

But when she heard somebody shuffling along the hall of the dungeon, she stood and made her way shakily to the bars and waited, head held as high as she could get it as her fingers gripped the still bars tightly.

“Now, Princess Belladonna. Perhaps you’ve remembered your place?” Adam crooned as he approached her. Blake blinked in surprise. He walked with a slight limp, his breath sounding weaker than it had before. His skin was even more sickly looking than it had been and Blake could practically smell how sick he was. 

The corruption was eating away at him… which meant that it was eating away at the wyvern he had forced a bond with. The thought left a foul taste in Blake’s mouth and she bit back a growl as she glanced at Adam’s armed guards.

“I do, King Taurus.” Blake demurred, gritting her teeth as she lowered herself to one knee and bowed her head, even as her stomach violently recoiled. She inhaled deeply and spoke her next words with careful measure, more than aware that if Adam sensed that she was lying, he wouldn’t be happy. “My place is wherever you want it.”

“There’s a girl.” Adam chuckled and Blake felt her skin crawl. “You will remain here until the ceremony. You will be fed and watered and brought up when it is time for the people of my kingdom to meet their new queen. It is good to see that you have more sense than your father, at least.”

“Yes, my king.” Blake forced out, glaring at the floor in front of her, despising how he treated her like an unruly dragon that was to be broken. She forced herself to accept the hand that patted her head in between her ears and waited until Adam had taken his leave, guards flanking his sides before standing back up. She closed her eyes and leaned heavily against her cell door, nausea building up in her stomach despite how empty it was. 

All she had to do was play a part until it was time. Build up her strength. Accept their food and pretend to be a broken spirit. 

But little did the enemy know… that Blake Belladonna was anything but.

* * *

It was several days later when two armed guards showed up to drag Blake away in chains. She kept her head low, ears pinned, letting them see her as a submissive little girl until the moment came.

“Are you gentlemen sure that you have enough chains?” Sienna asked slowly from her cell, staring blankly at the men as they held onto the ends of Blake’s chains. “You do realise who trained her, yes?”

“You seemed easy enough to trap, Khan.” One of the men laughed arrogantly, stopping to slam his hand against Sienna’s cell door. 

“True… but you made one miscalculation.” 

“And what’s that?”

“Her tenacity.”

Blake snapped her head up and slammed her shoulder into the distracted guard. As he fell, she wrapped the chain around his neck and pulled tight and swung her small weight around him and pulled her other guard off balance. Once her chains had been dropped, she pulled them close and applied more pressure to the man’s neck, keeping him in between her and the other guard. Once she felt him go limp, she dropped him and fell into a defensive stance, watching the way the remaining guard pointed his sword at her.

“Oh, you’re going to regret that, love.” He snarled as he charged forward. Blake raised her chained wrists and caught the end of the blade and twisted her arms, trapping the blade in her chains and pulling at the exact same time that she slammed one foot into the man’s ankle, sending him to the ground in a heap. Without another word, she slammed her foot into his temple, knocking him out quickly and efficiently.

“Oh, I doubt that.” Blake huffed, more than a little breathless. Quickly, she ransacked both men for any kind of key, letting out a triumphant little “Ah-hah!” when she found a small set on the first fellow. She unlocked her chains and watched them fall to the floor and let out a small, breathless laugh. “Okay. Okay. I can do this.” 

“Yes. You can.”

Blake raised her head to meet Sienna’s eyes and felt a lump from in her throat as Sienna smiled at her. “Sienna?”

“You… know that training you and watching you become the strong and capable young woman you are today has been both an honour and a privilege.” Sienna said stiffly, as though she were trying to keep a lid on her own emotions. “Go. Take Adam down. Do what you feel is right. I am… very proud of you.”

Blake lowered her head as tears blurred her vision. She cleared her throat roughly and quickly stepped forward and, after determining which key belonged to Sienna’s cell, she worked it off and pressed it into her mentor’s hand before stepping back and meeting her eyes. “I’m not leaving until I’ve freed this kingdom.”

Sienna nodded and with one final look shared between them, Blake turned and began to run through the dungeon, slinking behind walls and dodging guards. In the distance, she could hear a large crowd beginning to gather and she knew that if she had any hope of winning this fight, she had to get the people of Mistral on her side.

She just hoped that they would listen to her… because she intended to defend them at all costs from the man that had been their ill omen for years.


	21. We Stand As One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blake finds and challenges the tyrant king.
> 
> But can she save the people of Mistral, herself and a corrupted beast? Or is it too late?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... this my longest chapter for this fic, sitting pretty at 2414 words. Hopefully, y’all don’t mind a longer chapter. I just couldn’t find a good place to end it.

“We have long been at War with Menagerie. But soon, our kingdoms shall join Princess Belladonna and I in union and form the strongest kingdom known to man or faunus.  _ I  _ will lead us to victory and power.”

Blake growled lowly from where she stood behind a stone pillar, hood up, as she watched Adam pace back and forth atop his wyvern’s shoulders in front of the castle. Blake felt her chest twist painfully as she heard the way the dragon’s breath rattled in their chest. They hung their head low, movements sluggish as they walked. Their wings almost seemed to droop, no longer held proudly as it once had. It was obvious that the forced bond had taken its toll on the beast and Blake felt her heart ache. She had to do something.

“Mistral… allow me to introduce you to your new queen; Blake Belladonna !”

Blake smiled grimly to herself as the doors to the castle remained shut. Adam brought the wyvern to a halt and almost seemed to twitch. 

“I said… bring. Her. Out!” Adam snarled furiously, a sickly rasp falling from his chest. “What is taking so long?!”

“Did you really think that you could force me by your side like you did to that poor dragon when you stole them?” Blake called, as she slowly stepped forward and glared up at Adam defiantly. She lifted her chin, her hand gripping her sword. She was grateful that it hadn’t taken too long to find it. “My kingdom and I will never belong to you.”

“Mind your place, girl.” Adam warned, his blue eyes sharp and feral. “I would hate to see anything happen to you.”

“People of Mistral; why do you follow this tyrant?” Blake said, turning her head to the crowd of gathered people. “He is the reason why so many good people have died. He is the reason that your children cry themselves to sleep at night. He is the reason why you suffer!”

“And what do you expect us to do?” A young man with ram horns on his head called out, his voice shrill with panic. “He has an army!”

“He does. But for every one soldier, there are five more of you. You- no.  _ We _ outnumber them, five to one! If we stand together, we can fight and take back your land from the man that has the audacity to call himself king.” Blake swallowed thickly, ears flicking back anxiously. She knew that her father could rally his people with just a few words and she hoped that she could mimic that. “Don’t let this- this spiteful monster bloody the good name of your kingdom. Fight back… because the kingdom of Menagerie stands with you all!”

A slow clap began to sound from Adam and when Blake turned, she found herself watching Adam slow clapping at her, a sick grin twisting his lips. “Oh, bravo, Princess. But I’m afraid that  _ my  _ people know who’s in the right. They know that  _ I’m _ their saviour.  _ I’m _ their hero.  _ I’m  _ the only one who has the strength to do what’s needed! I’ll be lionised by the time my rule is done!”

“A real hero isn’t lionised. A real saviour doesn’t worship their own shit like you do, Taurus.” Blake snapped back, her hand tightening onto the hilt of her blade. “You’ve built yourself a tower made of blood and bones and when it falls, you’ll realise that all you’ve done is prepare the foundations for your tomb.” Blake stepped forward, tilting her head up to stare Adam down as his expression faltered, the arrogant mask falling and giving way to rage. “And trust me when I say that I’ll be the one to put you there if you don’t stand the fuck down  _ now. _ ”

Blake didn’t want to kill anyone. She didn’t want to take a life. She didn’t want a ghost haunting her at night… but if it came down to push or shove, she’d do whatever it took to protect her own.

“And who stands with you?” Adam sneered cruelly, meeting Blake’s haze head on. “Who would stand by  _ your  _ side and fight?”

“I would.”

The young man from earlier called, his chest heaving as he stepped forward and crossed his right arm over his chest, hand curled into a fist against his collar, in what Blake immediately recognised as the salute given to her father when his soldiers fought for him.

“Me too.”

“Same here!”

“I’ll fight as well!”

One by one, the call spread across the people of Mistral, each one pressing their fists to their collarbone in a salute to Blake. She felt her heart swell with compassion for these people, her eyes tearing up at the sight of support. She blinked them away and inhaled deeply before raising her right arm and pressing the back of her closed fist to her forehead, mimicking the old Mistral salute. They were no longer a Menagerie Princess and the people of Mistral; but a group of people broken down and burned by the man before them now and they were finally going to fight back and protect each other.

Just as it always should have been.

“Their blood will be on your hands.” Adam snarled as he lifted a metal rod with a cruelly curved hook on the end and pointed it at Blake. 

“Stand down, Adam. It doesn’t have to end in bloodshed. You can still walk away.” Blake pleaded, desperately trying one final time for a peaceful solution.

“Never.” With that said, Adam raised the steel rod and dug the sharp metal into the wyvern’s hide, causing them to tear up with a roar of pain. “Wilt! Take her out! Now!”

Blake let out a yell as she dodged out of the way of the open maw that charged towards her. She felt her tunic tear as a long incisor snagged it, ripping it down one side. “Fuck!”

Blake ran, ducking and dodging, as Adam and his beast charged after her. She could hear the furious screams of a people left to suffer as they charged at the soldiers, slamming into them and striking them down at the first opportunity. She could feel the wyvern’s sick, rancid breath on her back and just barely avoided another bite. 

“You wound me, my love! We could have been so happy together!” Adam yelled, a maniacal grin stretching across his lips as the wyvern snarled. “But you’ve made your decision and now I make mine; Menagerie will burn!”

A sudden scream carved through the air and Blake, against her better judgement, turned to watch a figure send a flying kick into Adam’s torso, sending flying off of his beast and to the floor. A familiar figure sat atop the dragon, gripping the saddle’s handle and trying to wrangle the wyvern as they screamed.

“Sienna?” Blake breathed, smiling in disbelief as her mentor met her gaze and smirked.

“Did you really think that I was going to let a child like you have all of the fun, Blake?” Sienna called out, grunting as the wyvern kicked and bucked. “You deal with him and I’ll kill-“

“Don’t!” Blake yelled, panic settling into her chest. “Please... don't.” She added, glancing to Adam as he struggled to his feet with a painful groan. 

A light of understanding entered Sienna’s eyes and her expression softened. She nodded, using what little strength she had left to guide the dragon away from Blake and Adam to give her a clear area to fight. “I’ll handle them. You do what you need to.”

Blake nodded and charged forward to strike, grunting as Adam parried it with the steel rod. She bared her teeth, amber eyes flashing dangerously as they pushed against each other. 

“Yield, Princess.”

“Over… my… dead body!”

“That can be arranged.”

Blake snarled as Adam stepped back, sending her off balance. She sprawled to the floor, twisting to sit on her ass just in time to block a strike. She used her legs to push herself backwards as Adam continued his onslaught, screams of rage leaving him as he did.

“Any other surprises, Blake? Any more little friends come to save you?!”

Blake cried out as the curved hook sliced her cheek, blood slowly falling from the cut as she panted. She looked up at Adam and paused, turning to stare over his shoulder at the white and red blur that was slowly coming closer. She felt a watery laugh leave her throat, disbelief and relief both flooding her as she turned to glare up at Adam defiantly. “Maybe one or two.”

Almost as if on cue, a furious roar of a dragon tore through the skies and drew Adam’s attention away from Blake. She rolled to her feet and slammed her foot into the back of his shin and sent him to the ground as a familiar blonde woman kept from the red and white dragon and stood on the other side of Adam and gave Blake a small grin, a fresh cut running down the left side of her face. “What are your orders, Princess?”

“Yang. You’re with me so follow my lead.” Blake said sharply as Adam began to climb to his feet again. She nodded, pleased, as Yang drew her own sword. “Róisín? Go help the lady wrangling the wyvern. Avoid killing them.” She called to the dragon flying above them.

Róisín crooned and flew towards Sienna and the wyvern, using her front paws to attempt to wrestle the beast to the ground.

“It’s over, Adam.” Blake growled, voice low and full of warning. She was panting, legs trembling as the days without proper food and water finally began to catch up to her. “Stand. Down.”

“This is your final warning.” Yang added, lips pressed into a firm line, lilac eyes hard and cold as she glared at Adam. “Just give up.”

“I’ll give up when I die!”

Blake nodded at Yang and soon enough, the two were running circles around Adam, taunting him into attacks and slamming the hilts of their swords into his head and slicing their blades across his flesh as he barreled past them. Both of their own bodies were littered with bruises and cuts as they fought and neither knew how much longer they could fight.

“You’ll… never… defeat… me.” Adam rasped, his breath no more than a death rattle as he wobbled on shaky legs. “If I die… then I’m taking you with me. Wilt!”

Blake felt a bolt of fear course through as Adam screamed for the wyvern. There was a loud crash as Róisín was thrown into the castle, stunning the poor beast as Sienna was thrown from the wyvern’s back. Adam charged towards Blake at the exact same time that the dragon did and Blake knew that it was her or him. She bared her teeth in an outraged snarl and charged forward, her blade pointed at Adam’s chest, just as Yang did. She watched the two blades pierce his chest. She and Yang stood there for a long moment before yanking them out and watching him fall to the ground, just as a strangled scream from the wyvern caught their attention. She felt Yang grab her, pulling her protectively close as the dragon charged at them. But before they could reach them, the beast collapsed to the ground with a disturbing wheeze, it’s breath rattling in its chest painfully.

“No. No!” Blake gasped, as she wrenched herself from Yang’s arms and dropped to her knees beside the wyvern, grazing her hand over the heaving chest. “No, no, no!”

“Here.” A pained rasp spoke and Blake looked up to see Sienna take a dagger and place it to the back of the dragon’s head, slicing a thick piece of leather that kept the steel mask bound to it. “A forced bond corrupted them. But a true one may heal them. But be warned…” Sienna grunted as she threw the mask down to the side with great deal of effort. “If they do die after you bond, it will hurt you greatly.”

“I don’t care. I can’t let them die alone.” Blake huffed, quickly moving to the wyvern’s head and looking into the beast’s bright blue eyes. The wyvern growled weakly, a small and pained whine leaving them as they glared weakly up at her. The veins across their skin were darker, their scales more sickly looking and Blake knew that she had to act fast. 

“Blake?”

“Let her. She needs to do this.”

Blake ignored Yang and Sienna and looked into the dragon’s eyes and smiled sadly. “Hey, you. It…  _ is  _ you, isn’t it? My bonded dragon? Or you were meant to be until he stole you and forced you to be his.” Blake’s voice caught in her throat when the wyvern blinked up at, a confused croon leaving its throat. “I’m so sorry that he hurt you. I’m sorry that I wasn’t there when you needed me. But I’m here now. Whether you stay or go, I’m right here. You won’t be alone. I promise.” She whispered as she gently curled her hands along either side of the pointed muzzle. She could feel the terrifyingly shallow breaths of the beast against her and she felt tears enter eyes as the wyvern pushed weakly against her hands. “You’re safe now.”

The dragon blinked once. Then twice. And Blake felt a slow and almost comforting glow within her chest. As though somebody had let a campfire within her. It was warm and wonderful and suddenly, she forgot what it was ever like to be truly alone. The blue eyes in front of her began to shift, slowly turning the same shade of molten gold that her own eyes were and soon, Blake was looking at  _ her  _ dragon.

“That’s my girl.” Blake breathed out, leaning forward to press her forehead against her dragon’s, closing her eyes tightly as tears began to fall down her face. She could feel her breaths becoming more shallow, a violent death rattle sounding from within the beast’s chest. 

And just like Sienna said… the comforting warmth shifted to a searing burn, painful and as aggressive as a wild bushfire, intent on destroying everything within its path. She could feel the newly formed bond begin to sever, almost as though a hot blade was slicing into her very soul.

A pained sob escaped her lips. Fate really did have a fucked up sense of humour after all.


	22. Finding Freedom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After battle with many losses, great and small, Blake finally finds freedom.

Her chest was burning. It was like a pain she had never known could exist, tearing and ripping and scorching. She could barely breathe, it was so powerful.

“Blake? Blake, baby, shh. I’ve got you.” Yang’s voice was in her ear as her arms pulled her close and Blake turned to bury her face into her neck with a heartbroken sob, clinging to her desperately as Yang ran a hand gently through her hair, carefully avoiding the tangles and murmung into her ear. “I know. I know and I’m so sorry, Blake.”

A soft croon was heard and Blake weakly turned to see Róisín stepping forward, her silver eyes looking at the weak and dying wyvern with what almost seemed to be a concerned gleam. She leaned forward and gently nudged her broad muzzle into the wyvern’s shoulder, whining softly when the beast barely responded. When she turned to Blake, her expression was almost sorrowful as she leaned forward to nudge at Blake’s shoulder gently.

“You’re a good girl, Róisín.” Blake managed to painfully rasp, raising her hand and laying it on Róisín’s muzzle, as her body trembled from another wave of pain. 

Róisín snorted softly before pulling away, anxiously shifting her weight anxiously. Her nostrils flared as she snorted, her tail twitching with her agitation. A whimper left the large dragon, as she leaned forward to nudge at the wyvern once more, almost sounding like she was pleading with her to get back up.

“Róisín.” Yang sighed, pulling Blake closer to her, holding her firmly as Blake slumped against her. “It’s okay, girl.”

Róisín turned to glare at Yang, her wings shifting anxiously before she huffed. With a gentle movement of one of her front paws, she pushed the wyvern over onto her side. A pained whine left the wyvern and Róisín moved to nudge the dragon’s shoulder reassuringly. 

“Y-Yang? What’s she- what’s she doing?” Blake asked weakly, straining to sit up. She felt Yang gently support her back, her hand a gentle warmth at Blake’s shoulders.

“I don’t believe it.” Yang breathed out, her tone low and disbelieving. Her grip tightened on Blake and she let out a soft huff of laughter. “Róisín, you wonderful reptile.”

Blake frowned in confusion as Róisín leaned forward to press the tip of her muzzle to the wyvern’s chest, right where her heart was. Blake’s confusion turned to a shocked gasp as Róisín’s silver eyes began to glow, bright as any flame. The dragon blinked and a trail of silvery, glowing tears began to trickle down her muzzle and hit the wyvern’s chest, where they began to collect into a small pool against her scales before Róisín pulled away and sat back in her hunches. She turned her muzzle skyward and let out a chilling howl, eyes still glowing brightly. Blake felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. It was a noise like nothing she had ever heard before.

Blake’s eyes drifted back to her dragon, her chest barely moving, and watched as the poor of tears almost seemed to glow brighter before sinking into the wyvern’s scales, seeping in between them and, despite all logic that Blake knew, and expanded. The wyvern’s body was slowly cast in a silvery glow, from the top of her nose to the end of her tail. 

“What?” Blake muttered, staring in shock, her heart racing as she watched the light burn brighter before slowly fading back out, revealing a very different beast. She was still heavily scarred, but her sickly veins had faded and her scales were now an iridescent purple, shifting tones in the fading light. “What the hell is happening?”

They all stared, each person frozen to the spot in shock, as the wyvern seemed to stop breathing. For a long moment, Blake began to think the worst… until a wing twitched. Then the tip of her tail. Before too long, the dragon lifted her head and looked around her in confusion. Her golden eyes landed on Blake’s own and she let out a small and worried croon, though she didn’t move to touch her. Her eyes turned to glare at Yang, her lips lifting in a silent snarl as she climbed to her feet. Her eyes darted to the arms that held Blake and her pupils pinned, an expression of rage taking over her face as she threw her head back and roared. 

“No!” Blake gasped and struggled weakly to her feet, drained from the pain of her bond with her dragon nearly severing. “No, you’re okay. We’re okay. See? These people are nice. They’re safe. Friends!” Blake said shakily as her wyvern lowered her head, her wings lifting up in a defensive posture as she growled. “Hey. Look at me.” Blake ordered softly, smiling as her wyvern met her gaze with a distressed whine. “I promised you that I’m here, right? It’s okay.” 

Hesitantly, she reached out a hand and watched as her wyvern pressed her pointed muzzle into it. A laugh escaped Blake, weak and watery and she pressed her forehead against her wyvern’s and let her tears fall. 

They were going to be okay.

At long last, they were going to be okay.

* * *

“How did I know that you’d be out here?” 

Blake turned and smiled tiredly up at Yang, her baby dragon sleeping around her neck, as she smiled down at where Blake sat in the dragon stall, settled amongst the hay with her dragon’s head resting in her lap. It had taken a long time to calm the people of Mistral down but, with Adam Taurus dead, the people were finally free. A messenger had been sent to bring her parents to the kingdom so that they could help Mistral heal and everyone had returned to their homes to sleep. Blake and Yang has been offered free housing for the night, with their dragons given the stalls in the kingdom. But Blake had slipped out from under Yang’s arm and made her way back down to the stalls.

“I didn’t want to leave her for too long.” She whispered, gesturing for Yang to sit by her. She watched, heart spilling over with affection, as Yang sat and gently reached over to run a finger tip along the wyvern’s muzzle. “You know… you still need to tell me how you got here. And where the  _ hell  _ did you keep Trasa?”

“I had to put the poor thing in a cage.” Yang said quietly, wincing. “She hated it.”

“I bet.” Blake laughed softly, leaning against Yang and resting her head on her shoulder. She snorted when Trasa moved to rest her chin on Blake’s head, settled comfortably between Blake’s cat ears. “But I saw you all fall. I thought- I thought that I  _ lost  _ you.”

“We managed to get away after a bit of a scuffle. We’d been tracking you for days, expecting to have to bust you out of prison. But then, we show up and not only have you busted  _ yourself  _ out, but you’ve also started a goddamn revolution.” Yang chuckled softly as she played with Blake’s hair. She pulled Blake closer, moving to press a tender kiss to her temple and sighed softly. “I should have known that you were never the damsel in distress type.”

“Evidently.” Blake smiled sadly as she ran a hand over her wyvern’s scarred face, frowning when the beast flinched in her sleep. 

“She’s beautiful.” Yang said softly, glancing to Blake for a moment and smiling. “Just like her partner in flight.”

“You’re a shameless flirt, Yang Xiao Long.” Blake huffed, a small mile twitching onto her face. She turned to look at Yang and smiled shyly, biting her lip nervously for a moment before speaking. “I want you to name her.”

“You do?” Yang asked, sounding slightly unsure. She shifted, reaching up to run a gentle thumb across the now cleaned cut on Blake’s cheek, her movements tender and soft. “I don’t want to take that away from you.”

“You’re not. I’m  _ giving  _ it to you.” Blake said softly. She smiled reassuringly, pressing her hand against Yang’s thigh and stroking it with her thumb gently. “Please?”

“Saoirse.” Yang said, after a moment of thought. She gave Blake a warm and proud smile and nudged her forehead with her own affectionately. “It means freedom.”

“Freedom?” Blake repeated, her left cat ear twitching slightly as she glanced down at her dragon and felt a warm tug at her heart. “I think that’s perfect.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” Blake mumbled as she leaned up and gently caught Yang’s lips in a tender kiss, sighing softly into her mouth when Yang gently cupped the back of her head.

Freedom.

It really was kind of perfect… wasn’t it? Two souls that were forced to be by a tyrant’s side, finding their freedom together. It made sense, Blake thought, as she tucked her head under Yang’s chin, smiling as she heard Róisín happily croon from the next stall over.

‘ _ Not bad for a wild child princess.’  _ Blake thought to herself, as she gazed around at her little found family.  _ ‘Not bad at all. _ ’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you really think that I would kill off Blake’s dragon?
> 
> I’m an angst gremlin, not a monster!
> 
> But... it should be said that this au is nearly done. The next chapter released will the epilogue and as such, the final update.


	23. Goodbye For Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so, we draw a close on this world as we watch two riders and their dragons say goodbye.

_ Five years later… _

Blake leaned down from her wyvern’s back to pat the side of her neck, smiling affectionately when Saoirse purred happily, her wings stretching out as they glided above the cloud cover. The dragon, now a young adult, had grown since Blake had saved her from the Tyrant King and her rider was beyond proud of her. Saoirse still bore the marks of the abuse that she endured but, with some TLC from her new family, she had learned and healed wonderfully… even if she never quite dropped her moody disposition.

“Oh, hello. Who’s this come into my airways?” Blake murmured as a golden Eastern class of dragon appeared, carrying a woman on their back. “We can’t have that, can we girl?”

Saoirse let out a small rumble, sounding rather pleased with that idea. Blake reached to her neck and silently traced an intricate pattern against her scales, a silent command. Instantly, the wyvern’s purple scales began to shimmer, shifting until her colouration matched that of the sky and camouflaged both her and Blake from the rider below. Wordlessly, Blake leaned against the handle on her saddle and guided her towards the pair below. Once close enough, Blake smirked and urged her dragon into a sharp dive, pulling up to loop around the golden dragon’s body before pulling up in front of them and forcing them to come to a stop and hover in the air.

“Blake!” Yang yelped, glaring at her indignantly, though Blake could see her lips tilting upwards into a smile. “Oh my  _ God _ ! Do you have to do that everytime?”

Blake grinned playfully when Trasa snarled, tossing her head and grumbling at Saoirse, who merely blew smoke rings at the adolescent dragon smugly, very similar to how an older child might tease their little sibling . “Sorry, darling. It’s not my fault that I’m a better rider than you.”

“Your dragon is an  _ adult _ !” Yang growled playfully, narrowing her eyes. “I’m dealing with a moody teenager!”

“So was I, for a good bit. But Saoirse is all grown up now. Which means… that we’re better than you.”

“Wanna bet?”

“Winner has to muck out the stalls?”

“You’re on! Race you to the cliff!”

Blake laughed, loud and joyful as her wife flew past her and soon gave chase. But as they flew, the race became less of a race and closer to the two riders and their dragons playfully flying around one another until they came to their destination. And as always, their arrival bore with it a certain somber tone as they dismounted from their dragons and approached the far side of the cliff.

“I miss her. I miss them both.” Yang murmured as Blake stepped close to her and held her, her lilac gaze trained on the large stone standard class dragon in front of them. “But… at least they’re together now… right?”

“Yes, baby. Róisín did her job. She completed her duty with nobility and strength.” Blake soothed gently, feeling a lump form in her throat. She still remembered the day that Róisín disappeared six months ago. After days of searching, they had found her by her rider’s grave, her body having turned to stone as she finally was able to join her partner in flight in the next world. “She was such a good dragon.”

“Yeah. She was.” Yang murmured softly, her voice thick with emotion, turning her head to kiss Blake’s cheek. “If it wasn’t for her, I may never have gotten to meet the love of my life.”

“You’re a helpless romantic.” Blake whispered as she leaned forward and caught Yang’s lips in a tender kiss. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Both women moved to sit on the floor, holding each other and watching sadly as both Saoirse and Trasa moved to press their muzzles against Róisín stone one, closing their eyes and paying their respects to the dragon that had helped teach and raise them, just as any grandmother might.

It still hurt and goodbyes were always very painful. But for every goodbye, there would be a brand new hello to give.

And who knows? Maybe another hello was waiting just around the corner, just begging to be discovered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was such a fun story to write.
> 
> For those of you who enjoyed seeing the interactions within this brand new family, I have some some good news...
> 
> So stay tuned to find out what it is 😉


End file.
